The General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Justin Frimpong Kodua, has expressed confidence that the party will return to power in December 2028, promising that the NPP will present a stronger, united front to the Ghanaian people.

Speaking at a press conference at the party’s headquarters, Mr. Kodua assured members and supporters that despite current challenges, the NPP remains the best option for Ghana’s development.

“We have more than three years to preach to Ghanaians our record and what the New Patriotic Party stands for. I can assure you, issues of apathy and reconciliation will all be addressed. Inshallah, come December 7, 2028, the New Patriotic Party will surely come back to power,” he declared confidently.

Mr. Kodua also used the platform to criticize the John Mahama-led government, accusing it of persecuting NPP members through the abuse of state institutions.

According to him, the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) government has “weaponised” state security agencies and the judiciary to target political opponents, describing the situation as a dangerous threat to Ghana’s democracy.

He said the NPP had on several occasions held demonstrations and press conferences to remind the government that Ghana is a country governed by the rule of law, but such calls have gone unheeded.

“Unfortunately, our calls have fallen on deaf ears, but as a party, we shall not back down on our resolve to fight this injustice,” he said.

Mr. Kodua cited instances where NPP members have allegedly been detained beyond the lawful 48-hour limit and subjected to excessive bail conditions.

He stressed that these actions violate Article 14 of the 1992 Constitution, which guarantees that any person arrested or detained must be brought before a court within 48 hours or released on reasonable terms.

He further noted that the practice also contravenes Section 96 of the Criminal and Other Offences Procedure Act (Act 30) and several Supreme Court decisions, including Martin Kpebu vs. Attorney-General, which emphasize that bail must not be punitive or unreasonable.

“Under President John Mahama’s administration, a person is rather presumed guilty until proven innocent. This level of selective justice and intolerance of dissent is eroding public confidence in Ghana’s democratic and judicial systems,” he lamented.

Mr. Kodua described as alarming the growing “culture of silence,” where citizens are allegedly targeted for expressing dissenting opinions on social media, warning that it poses a threat to the nation’s democratic gains.

He reaffirmed the NPP’s commitment to defending justice and freedom, insisting that the party will not relent in protecting the rights of its members and all Ghanaians.

“The repercussions of this culture of silence are dangerous. It reverses the democratic progress we’ve made as a country,” he warned.

In a more hopeful tone, Mr. Kodua announced that the NPP would soon resume issuing membership cards to strengthen its grassroots organization ahead of the 2028 elections.

“I’m happy to announce that starting next week, we’ll continue with the issuing of membership cards to our members,” he said.

He ended his address by reiterating his belief that the NPP will return to power in 2028, saying Ghanaians have experienced both major political parties and can clearly see the difference.

“Ghanaians have tested both the NPP and the NDC, and I tell you, the difference will be clear. The New Patriotic Party will surely come back to power,” he concluded confidently.

— By Jacob Aggrey

The Deputy Director-General of Operations at the National Service Authority (NSA), Major Moses Dok Nach Kpengu, believes the recent ghost names scandal that led to the loss of millions of cedis from the Authority’s coffers could not have been a mere mistake.

Speaking to the media, Major Kpengu revealed that the irregularities were either the result of a failed system or the deliberate actions of individuals who intended to siphon public funds.

“The system failed us, or it could be that people were intentional about causing financial irregularities. If the system did not fail us, how did ghost names enter the system and allow people to siphon millions of cedis?” he quizzed.

He noted that although he was not in office when the incident occurred, the available data suggests that the fraud could have been prevented if the system had been properly monitored.

According to him, “It baffles my mind that when you have 100,000 registered names uploaded into the system and later validate more than 100,000, you don’t flag it. If you go ahead to pay salaries for 120,000 when only 100,000 were registered, it means someone knew about it. Otherwise, why would you pay the extra 20,000?”

Major Kpengu explained that such a situation could only point to two possibilities — a major system failure or intentional wrongdoing by some individuals within the service.

He further disclosed that the Attorney General’s Department is currently handling the matter, and the National Service Authority has introduced new measures and internal controls to prevent similar irregularities in the future.

“We have put in place certain structures to make sure this kind of thing does not happen again,” he assured.

The ghost names scandal at the National Service Secretariat has raised serious concerns about accountability and transparency in the management of public funds.

The government, through the relevant authorities, is currently investigating the incident as part of broader efforts to strengthen systems and restore public confidence in state institutions.

— By Jacob Aggrey