Civil Society or Political Pawn? The Dangerous Game of Selective Activism in Ghana

Civil society organisations are essential to the life of any democracy. They act as watchdogs, conscience, and catalysts for reform, often bridging the gap between government and the governed. But what happens when these organisations lose their sense of purpose and instead become instruments of partisan politics? What happens when they are selectively blind for eight years, only to suddenly regain their vision when power changes hands?

That is the sad reality confronting Ghana today. As the new government led by President Mahama is diligently laying the foundations for national reset and recovery, some once-dormant civil society organisations have miraculously found their voices again — not to offer guidance or constructive criticism — but to peddle suspicion, misinformation, and in some cases, outright propaganda.

Case in point: The Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG).

In a press release this week, AFAG called for a bipartisan parliamentary inquiry into the alleged arrival and departure of two foreign aircraft suspected of ferrying illicit drugs and cash through the Kotoka International Airport (KIA). This follows reckless and unfounded claims by NPP Member of Parliament Ntim Fordjour, who — without presenting a shred of evidence — accused the government of complicity in drug trafficking.

Let’s be clear: this government is only three months old. And in those three months, there have been two major busts of suspected cocaine trafficking, a clear sign that Ghana’s national security apparatus is working and alert. So, the question becomes: Why would any civil society organisation attack a government that is actually fighting crime and upholding the law?

Where was AFAG when Ghana’s economy was plunged into its worst crisis in recent history under the NPP government? Where was AFAG when key national institutions were crumbling? When COVID-19 funds vanished, PDS scammed the entire power sector, and the finance ministry borrowed recklessly without accountability? Where was AFAG when public servants and pensioners suffered under the weight of a collapsed economy?

The truth is simple and damning: many of these organisations went deaf and mute between 2017 and 2024, only to regain their voices now that the party they favour is no longer in power. This is not civic activism. It is political manipulation.

Even worse, such selective outbursts are dangerous to the public discourse. They seek not truth or justice, but disruption and distrust. They create the illusion of crisis where there is none. They drown out real voices and embolden demagogues like Ntim Fordjour, who hide behind parliamentary privilege to make unsubstantiated allegations, damaging the country’s international image.

This kind of partisan civil society is a threat to democracy. And if we, as a country, do not rise to call them out, they will once again succeed in misleading the Ghanaian people — just as they did in the run-up to the 2016 elections, when they played a not-so-subtle role in selling the illusion of competence that brought the NPP to power.

Civil society must be guided by principles, not politics. Their power lies in their moral integrity, not their political alliances. If they become mere surrogates of defeated politicians, then they have lost the right to speak for the people.

The Mahama administration must continue its work undistracted, but must also be unafraid to call out deception in the name of activism. Civil society has a role, but that role must be played with truth, fairness, and consistency — not convenient silence in government and loud outrage in opposition.

We must remember: a democracy without credible civic voices is in danger — but so is a democracy where civic voices are bought and paid for by political interests.

The people are watching.
By Nsiaba Nana Akwasi Kobi (Emmanuel)