The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has warned that it could respond in a similar fashion to what it describes as the continued harassment, intimidation, and arrests of its officials and supporters by state institutions if the trend persists and the party returns to power.

The caution was issued by the party’s General Secretary, Justin Frimpong Kodua, during a protest at the Ghana Police Service’s Greater Accra Regional Police Headquarters on Thursday, May 14, over a police invitation extended to NPP activist Nana Addo Nyame.

Addressing party supporters, Mr Kodua accused the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) of using state institutions to target political opponents and suppress dissenting views.

According to him, democracy thrives on tolerance and freedom of expression, stressing that opposing political views should not be criminalised.

“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.

Mr Kodua referenced previous administrations under former Presidents John Agyekum Kufuor and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, arguing that critics and political opponents were allowed to express their views freely without intimidation.

He urged the NDC government to demonstrate tolerance and focus on governance instead of allegedly targeting opposition figures.

“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.

Mr Kodua argued that if the current administration continues what he described as politically motivated actions against opponents, it would only deepen political tension and undermine Ghana’s democratic progress.

“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 stated that if political actors and civil society groups fail to speak against what he described as intimidation and abuse of power, future governments could continue the cycle of retaliation whenever power changes hands.

“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 follows growing concerns raised by the NPP over what it claims are increasing cases of police invitations, arrests, and investigations involving some of its members and activists since the change in government.