Security analyst Professor Kwesi Aning has condemned the increasing trend of political actors using party loyalists to challenge state authority, following the recent arrest of New Patriotic Party (NPP) regional chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi.
Speaking on ABC News’ Morning Show, Prof. Aning described the development as a dangerous deviation from democratic norms, warning that “the shift of challenging the authority of the state is a criminal act. The constitution is clear—no one can form a group that is armed apart from the Republic of Ghana.”
He criticized what he sees as the normalization of intimidation by politically aligned groups, saying it threatens the nation’s constitutional order and weakens public confidence in state institutions.
Prof. Aning further raised alarm over the increasing politicisation of Ghana’s security institutions.
He cautioned that continued public perception of security actions as politically motivated undermines their credibility and endangers their neutrality.
“Looking at our time, we have lost trust in the independence of these institutions. Every single action they take legally is then misconstrued as being political,” he said.
His comments were made in the context of claims by the NPP that Chairman Wontumi’s arrest is politically targeted, a claim that has stirred heated debate across the political divide.
Calling for restraint and accountability, Prof. Aning urged political leaders to avoid interference in the operations of security institutions and allow them to carry out their constitutional mandates.
At the same time, he challenged the security services to demonstrate professionalism and transparency in their actions to regain public trust.
“What evidence have these security institutions [got] against him?” he questioned, emphasizing the need for due process and legal clarity to guide state interventions involving political figures.
