The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has accused the government of political intimidation and suppression of free speech following the reported arrest of its Agona West Organiser, David Essandoh, over a social media post about the country’s ongoing power challenges, popularly referred to as “dumsor.”
The NPP claims Mr Essandoh was picked up by about 10 armed officials believed to be from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) after allegedly posting an image of President John Dramani Mahama with the caption “Dumsor is back.”
The incident, which reportedly occurred at Agona Swedru in the Central Region, has triggered strong reactions from opposition figures who say the development raises serious concerns about political tolerance, freedom of expression and the use of state security agencies against political opponents.
Henry Nana Boakye, National Organiser of the NPP, popularly known as Nana B, condemned the arrest and described it as an attempt to criminalise dissent and intimidate opposition voices.
In a statement posted on social media, he alleged that Mr Essandoh was arrested at about 6:30 p.m. while sitting by the roadside near his home with a friend.
According to him, a black Toyota Land Cruiser initially drove past the two men and stopped briefly before leaving the scene.
“The same Land Cruiser returned in about five minutes with another Land Cruiser and the driver stepped out with a pistol in his hand, walked towards David, and demanded for his phone,” Mr Boakye stated.
He alleged that the armed men subsequently bundled Mr Essandoh into the vehicles and drove away without informing family members or bystanders where he was being taken.
“All efforts by his family and lawyers to locate him have proved futile,” the NPP National Organiser claimed.
The party insists the arrest was linked to a social media post highlighting the resurgence of erratic power supply, a politically sensitive issue commonly associated with the previous Mahama administration.
Mr Boakye argued that commenting on “dumsor” was not a crime and questioned whether criticism of worsening power outages had now become grounds for arrest.
“Is Dumsor not a reality facing every Ghanaian today?” he questioned.
He further accused the government of turning state security institutions into instruments for political harassment.
“Is the increasing political intolerance and the reduction of the CID and BNI to tools for harassing political opponents what you promised?” he asked.
The NPP also argued that freedom of speech in a democratic society extends beyond formal political commentary and includes satire, caricatures, social commentary and criticism of government policies.
“Are you not aware that free speech in a democracy includes speech, art, caricatures, satire, and all forms of expression?” the statement added.
The development has reignited debate over political freedoms and the treatment of opposition figures under Ghana’s democratic system.
While no official statement had yet been issued by the CID, National Intelligence Bureau or the Presidency at the time of filing this report, the NPP warned that it would strongly resist what it described as attempts to silence political opposition.
“We are hereby serving notice that if arresting NPP officers who speak freely is your master plan to silence opposition and divert attention from the present woes of Ghanaians, then be prepared for a massive demonstration in protest because we shall equally resist this oppressive rule,” the statement warned.
The incident comes at a time of growing public discourse over intermittent power supply disruptions in parts of the country, with opposition parties increasingly accusing the government of failing to address worsening electricity instability.
Political observers say the reported arrest could further heighten tensions between the government and opposition parties ahead of future political contests, especially if concerns over political intimidation and free speech continue to dominate national conversations.
Civil society groups and legal analysts are also expected to weigh in on the matter amid concerns about the constitutional protection of free expression and the role of security agencies in politically sensitive cases.
The case is likely to intensify calls for transparency regarding the circumstances surrounding Mr Essandoh’s arrest, his whereabouts and the legal basis for any action taken against him
