The National Democratic Congress (NDC) is accusing government of having ulterior motive for the passage of the Imposition of Restrictions Bill which has been laid before Parliament under a certificate of urgency.

According to the party, the Bill will not only infringe on the rights of citizens but also gives the President unlimited power; a weapon that can be abused.

"We do not trust the underlying intent of this Bill and we do not trust this particular President to exercise the wide powers the Bill seeks to grant him for the limited purpose of addressing the threat to public health that COVID-19 poses." 

Addressing the press on Friday, March 20, 2020, International Relations Officer of the NDC, Alex Segbefia said the party was confident President Akufo-Addo will use the powers granted to him to settle personal scores.

"We are convinced, beyond all peradventure, that President Akufo-Addo will use these powers to settle scores, restrict the lawful activities of individuals, including opposition political parties and generally make it impossible for the tenets of democracy to thrive in this election year.

"In short, as far as the NDC is concerned, President Akufo-Addo is using the excuse of the coronavirus pandemic, which does not even receive a passing mention in the Bill, to complete the erection of the rigging infrastructure that he has been engaged in since he assumed office" he said.

According to the former Health Minister under the erstwhile John Mahama administration, the Bill was also an attack on fundamental human rights as it "bears the hallmarks of authoritarian rule."

The party is, therefore, calling on "civil society, religious leaders, the House of Chiefs and  peace-loving Ghanaians including those in the New Patriotic Party (NPP) itself  not to be complicit in their silence on the Bill that bears the hallmarks of authoritarian rules."