General Secretary of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Justin Frimpong Kodua, has warned that the party could respond to what it describes as intimidation and harassment of its members if the trend continues.

He cautioned that if the "intimidation" continues, the NPP will respond in same manner when it returns to power in the future.

His comments follow a protest staged by party supporters at the Ghana Police Service Greater Accra Regional Police Headquarters on Thursday, May 14 2026, following a police invitation extended to NPP activist Nana Addo Nyame.

Addressing a charged crowd of party supporters gathered outside the police premises, Kodua accused the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) of allegedly using state institutions to target political opponents and silence dissenting voices.

According to him, democracy can only thrive when citizens and political actors are allowed to express differing opinions without fear of intimidation or arrest.

“If we are doing democracy, you can’t shut down someone else’s ideas or speech because it’s not everyone who will side with you,” he stated.

The NPP General Secretary argued that previous administrations under former Presidents John Agyekum Kufuor and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo tolerated criticism and opposing political views without resorting to intimidation.

He urged the current government led by President John Dramani Mahama to focus on addressing the country’s challenges instead of allegedly targeting of opposition members.

“When President Mahama was campaigning, he promised to develop the country. If there were things Ghanaians did not like during the tenure of the NPP, that is why the NPP is now in opposition, and the NDC is in government,” he said.

Kodua warned that continued political tension and alleged abuse of state institutions could damage Ghana’s democratic progress and encourage retaliatory politics whenever governments change.

“Don’t say the NPP will not do the same thing. We will do the same because when they were doing it, people saw it and remained silent,” he cautioned.

He further stressed that the silence of political actors, civil society organisations and ordinary citizens on such matters could allow a dangerous political culture to grow.

“So if you don’t advise the NDC and they continue with this behaviour, we will continue when we also come into office,” he added.

The protest formed part of growing concerns within the NPP over what the party claims are increasing cases involving police invitations, arrests and investigations targeting some of its officials, communicators and activists since the transition of power.

NA/VPO