The National Youth Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Salam Mustapha, has described the current National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration as the “most intolerant” government Ghana has ever produced, following the arrest of Dennis Miracles Aboagye by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).
Speaking to Citi News’ Hanson Agyemang when NPP supporters gathered at EOCO’s office to demand information on Miracles’ whereabouts, Salam Mustapha accused the government of disregarding due process and denying arrested persons access to legal representation.
“This is perversion of the highest order I have seen, the most intolerant government this country has ever produced. They will not allow any access to him, they will not talk to anybody, they have no respect for anybody.
“They don’t tell you why they are arresting you, they just come and pick you and take you away. That is the Ghana in which we live today,” he said.
He questioned why Miracles was arrested upon his return to Ghana, arguing that the aide to the NPP flagbearer did not pose any flight risk.
“He travelled and the moment he returned to Ghana, he was arrested, not when he was going. The guy was not absconding. We arrest people when we think they are flight risks, this guy is here, always on TV and radio.
“He travelled and has returned to his motherland, you go and arrest him from airport and come and dump him here that nobody should attend to him and it is order from above, is this democracy?” he said.
Salam Mustapha further alleged that the arrest formed part of a broader pattern of targeting NPP members, claiming that more than 20 party members had been arrested under the current administration.
“Under this government, over 20 NPP people have been arrested. Some of the arrests are due to the silliest of reasons,” he added.
Dennis Miracles Aboagye, an aide to the NPP’s flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, was arrested by EOCO at the Accra International Airport after returning to Ghana on Sunday, July 13.
The NPP General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong, in a Facebook post, alleged that Miracles was picked up by EOCO officers with the assistance of immigration officials and taken into custody.
The party also claimed that his lawyers had been denied access to him and that no charges had been filed against him.
The NPP has since called on the authorities to grant Miracles access to his lawyers and family, citing Article 14(2) of the 1992 Constitution, which guarantees the rights of persons in custody.
