The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has announced plans for a nationwide demonstration on August 6, 2026, saying it is joining forces with other political parties, civil society organisations, professional bodies, student movements and what it describes as “well-meaning citizens” to defend Ghana’s democracy, the 1992 Constitution and the rule of law.
Addressing a press conference in Accra, the National Organiser of the NPP, Henry Nana Boakye, said the planned protest had become necessary because the country was witnessing what he described as a systematic collapse of constitutional governance, judicial independence and equal justice under the law.
He argued that recent developments, particularly the Court of Appeal’s decision to acquit and discharge former Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC) Chief Executive Officer, Sedina Christine Tamakloe Attionu, represented the latest example of what the party considers a dangerous erosion of public confidence in Ghana’s democratic institutions.
Mr Boakye said the demonstration would serve as a national call to defend constitutional governance against what the party alleged were attempts by the government to politicise state institutions and undermine accountability.
He said the protest would bring together political parties, organised labour, civil society groups, students and ordinary citizens who were concerned about what he described as the growing weakening of democratic institutions.
The announcement comes a day after the Court of Appeal acquitted and discharged Madam Tamakloe Attionu, who had previously been convicted by the High Court on multiple charges, including stealing, causing financial loss to the state, money laundering and breaches of the Public Procurement Act.
Sedina acquittal
Mr Boakye devoted a substantial part of the press conference to the Court of Appeal’s ruling.
He argued that the acquittal overturned the outcome of what he described as a painstaking five-year criminal trial built on documentary evidence, forensic audits and sworn testimony.
According to him, the High Court judgment delivered by Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe contained detailed findings on each of the charges and concluded that public funds intended for vulnerable Ghanaians had been diverted.
He recalled that Madam Tamakloe Attionu was convicted on 78 criminal counts, including stealing, conspiracy to steal, wilfully causing financial loss to the state, conspiracy to cause financial loss, causing loss to public property, improper payment of public funds, unauthorised commitments resulting in financial obligations for government, money laundering and procurement-related offences.
Mr Boakye said the offences stemmed from her tenure as MASLOC Chief Executive between November 2013 and January 2017 under the first administration of President John Dramani Mahama.
Alleged financial losses
The NPP detailed several transactions which it said formed part of the prosecution’s case.
The party alleged that investigations by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) established that GH¢500,000 released as an investment to Obaatampa Microfinance at Ejura was instead personally collected by Madam Tamakloe Attionu after the institution decided not to proceed with the investment because of the high interest rate.
According to the party, investigators found that the money was never returned to MASLOC but was allegedly kept for personal use.
Mr Boakye further alleged that GH¢1.816 million approved for nationwide sensitisation and monitoring of about 85,000 MASLOC beneficiaries was largely diverted, with only GH¢1,300 allegedly spent on activities in three regions while programmes in seven other regions never took place.
He also referred to GH¢246,000 approved for financial literacy training and sensitisation, alleging that the funds were never used for the intended purpose.
The party further claimed that out of GH¢1.465 million approved to support victims of the Kantamanto Market fire disaster, GH¢579,000 was allegedly diverted.
Another allegation related to the procurement of 350 vehicles in 2016.
Mr Boakye said the prosecution established that the vehicles were procured without approval from the Public Procurement Authority and at highly inflated prices, resulting in an alleged financial loss of more than $4.13 million.
The NPP also cited alleged inflated procurement of mobile phones and unauthorised payments amounting to GH¢273,743.65 allegedly made to Madam Tamakloe Attionu and her deputy as ex gratia and other benefits without approval.
Flight and extradition
The NPP recalled that Madam Tamakloe Attionu was granted permission by the High Court in July 2021 to travel to the United States for medical treatment but failed to return to continue standing trial.
Mr Boakye said the court subsequently ordered that she be tried in absentia after repeated efforts to notify her through her lawyers, her last known address, newspaper publications and notices at the High Court failed to secure her return.
He said judgment was delivered in April 2024, sentencing her to ten years’ imprisonment.
He added that extradition proceedings were initiated under the 1931 extradition treaty between Ghana and the United States and that by July 2024 all documentation had been completed and submitted to American authorities.
According to him, US authorities subsequently located Madam Tamakloe Attionu, placed her under surveillance and eventually returned her to Ghana.
The NPP questioned how the Court of Appeal overturned the conviction only weeks after her return.
Mr Boakye said the party found it suspicious that a notice of appeal allegedly surfaced only in 2026 despite not having been served on the Attorney-General’s office during the previous administration or raised during extradition proceedings in the United States.
He also criticised the Court of Appeal’s finding that the charge sheet was defective, arguing that provisions of both the Courts Act and the Criminal Procedure Act required appellate courts to disregard technical defects where no substantial miscarriage of justice had occurred and sufficient evidence existed to sustain a conviction.
Attorney-General criticised
Beyond the Sedina case, the NPP accused the Attorney-General of selectively discontinuing corruption prosecutions involving persons associated with the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Mr Boakye alleged that since January 2025 the Attorney-General had increasingly exercised prosecutorial discretion to terminate criminal cases involving NDC-affiliated individuals.
He cited the discontinuation or collapse of prosecutions involving former Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) Director-General Ernest Thompson in relation to an alleged $15.3 million financial loss case.
He also referred to the withdrawal of charges against former COCOBOD Chief Executive Dr Stephen Kwabena Opuni and businessman Seidu Agongo in a case involving approximately GH¢271.3 million.
The party further mentioned the UniBank prosecution involving founder Dr Kwabena Duffuor and others over alleged losses of about GH¢5.7 billion, as well as the Saglemi Housing prosecution involving former Minister Collins Dauda and others concerning approximately US$200 million.
Mr Boakye argued that these developments suggested what he described as a wholesale amnesty for politically connected individuals.
Judiciary under scrutiny
The NPP also criticised the Judiciary, claiming recent judicial outcomes had undermined public confidence in the courts.
Mr Boakye alleged that there now existed a two-tier justice system in which persons affiliated with the governing party were treated differently from political opponents.
He further criticised the concentration of politically sensitive prosecutions before two High Court judges, Justice Kizita Naa Koowa Quarshie Achibonga and Justice Mary Ekue Yanzuh Kocuvie-Tay, alleging that almost all Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) cases had been assigned to them.
The party questioned the decision allowing the two judges to continue sitting during the legal vacation beginning August 1, arguing that it created the perception of urgency in politically sensitive trials.
Wider governance concerns
The NPP said the acquittal of Madam Tamakloe Attionu was only one element of what it described as a broader pattern of constitutional decline.
Mr Boakye alleged that the removal of former Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo marked the beginning of attempts to undermine judicial independence.
He further accused the government of interfering with the Judiciary, weaponising state institutions against political opponents, selectively applying justice, reintroducing the public tribunal system, suppressing free speech, imposing excessive bail conditions on critics of government and pursuing what he described as a veiled third-term agenda for President John Dramani Mahama.
According to him, these developments collectively threatened the constitutional order established under the Fourth Republic.
NPP demands
The party called on the Attorney-General to discontinue all criminal prosecutions involving former officials of the previous NPP administration if similar prosecutorial discretion was being exercised in favour of persons associated with the governing party.
It also demanded that the Attorney-General publicly account for every criminal case involving NDC-affiliated persons that had been discontinued, withdrawn or otherwise terminated since January 2025 and provide reasons for each decision.
The NPP further urged the Judicial Council and the leadership of the Judiciary to take steps to restore public confidence in the administration of justice.
Mr Boakye also demanded the immediate acquittal, discharge and release of the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the NPP, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, arguing that his conviction and 20-year prison sentence were politically motivated and unsupported by sufficient evidence.
Nationwide protest
Concluding the press conference, Mr Boakye formally announced that the nationwide demonstration would take place on August 6, 2026.
He said the protest would be organised jointly with political parties, civil society organisations, professional associations, student groups and citizens who believed Ghana’s democratic institutions required urgent protection.
According to him, the objective of the demonstration is to defend democracy, uphold the Constitution and preserve the rule of law.
