Mobilise Lawyers, Not Protesters – Dr Belley Tells NPP Over “Democracy Under Attack” Demo
Story By: Evans Attah Akangla
Ho (Volta Region) August 8th 2026- Political and governance expert, Dr Harrison Kofi Belley, has advised the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to pursue legal remedies rather than street demonstrations in addressing concerns over recent court decisions involving some of its members and former government appointees.
Dr Belley described the party’s planned nationwide “Democracy Under Attack” protest as unclear and unnecessary, arguing that Ghana’s judicial system provides avenues for redress through appeals.
He made the remarks in an interview with Stone City 90.7 FM in Ho following the Court of Appeal’s acquittal and discharge of former MASLOC Chief Executive Officer, Sedina Attionu Tamekloe, the incarceration of the NPP’s Ashanti Regional Chairman, and ongoing trials involving former government officials.
While acknowledging the NPP’s constitutional right to demonstrate, Dr Belley questioned the basis of the protest, stressing that affected persons have been subjected to due legal processes.
“The question is: what is the basis of the demonstration? If someone has been taken through the court process, represented by lawyers, and a judgment has been delivered, the appropriate option is to pursue an appeal if dissatisfied,” he said.
He argued that claims of “democracy under attack” were questionable, noting that the right to fair hearing, access to legal representation, and the opportunity to appeal remain available within Ghana’s justice system.
Dr Belley, who is also the Volta Regional Chairman of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), said a true threat to democracy would be the denial of due process or the prevention of citizens from exercising their rights.
He cited the successful appeal of Madam Sedina Attionu Tamekloe, which resulted in her discharge by the Court of Appeal, as evidence that the judicial system provides mechanisms for correcting decisions.
The governance expert urged both the government and the Supreme Court to receive any petitions presented by demonstrators, describing it as part of democratic engagement.
“Within democratic practice, if someone presents a petition, you receive it. How you act on it is a different matter,” he stated.
Dr Belley called on Ghanaians to uphold the principles of the 1992 Constitution, adding that political disagreements must be addressed within the framework of the law and democratic institutions.
