Former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has warned that the country’s current security climate resembles a military takeover rather than a peaceful democratic transition, accusing President John Mahama’s government of undermining democratic institutions.

In a strongly worded statement posted on Facebook, Bawumia said recent dismissals of public servants, attacks on journalists, and military raids on former government officials’ homes signal a dangerous departure from democratic norms.

“There is a general atmosphere of insecurity with attacks on journalists, the use of our military to raid the homes of former government officials and communities, as well as mobs attacking innocent individuals and state institutions,” Bawumia stated. “This is rather reminiscent of a military takeover and not a peaceful democratic transition.”

The former vice president, who conceded defeat in Ghana’s 2024 elections and pledged to support the new administration, said he could no longer remain silent in the face of what he described as systematic political targeting.

“The least a party that campaigned on jobs could do under conditions of unemployment is to also innovate and create jobs rather than dismiss people,” he said, accusing the government of arbitrarily sacking workers employed under the previous administration.

Bawumia also claimed that even non-partisan directors in the public service were being removed for merely being associated with politicians from the previous government. He warned that the alleged plans to terminate the contracts of security personnel, nurses, and teachers hired before the new administration took office would be “most unfortunate.”

He called on Mahama to act swiftly to “be a president for all Ghanaians by putting a stop to these developments, reversing the unfair dismissals, and protecting all our citizens.”

“We must advance our democracy. We must protect our state institutions. We must uphold our Constitution,” he said. “Ghana can do better. Ghana must do better!”