Accra, May 1, GNA - The New Patriotic Party (NPP), has said that it would not countenance harassment and acts of intimidation of its functionaries, officers, supporters and members in any part of the country.

A statement signed by Mr. Peter Mac Manu, NPP National Chairman said " The NPP has noted with great concern, the demonstration of the chiefs and warriors of Asogli state against Mr. Kenwuud Noworsu, Volta Regional Chairman of NPP, for expressing his views or opinions on recent pronouncements made by Togbe Afede XIV, Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State."

It said Much as the NPP believed in the right to resort to demonstration by a person or groups to show their resentments to opinions and deeds of people, the party condemned acts of intimidation and threats on its regional chairman and members of the party on the basis of expressing political opinions. The statement said that what Mr. Noworsu did was to add his voice to the numerous criticisms levelled against the chief by various citizens of Ghana.

"We all remember the recent pronouncements by Togbe Afede on the purported deliberate neglect of Volta region by the NPP administration and how it attracted massive criticism. That, the chiefs and warriors of Asogli state should pick on the regional chairman is unacceptable and an affront on his democratic and civil rights in our current democratic dispensation. If for expressing his views, he is being declared persona non-grata in his own region then God save Ghana", It said. The statement said Ghana has come far in terms of personal freedoms, free speech and expression of opinions. It said "We should not allow any group of people, be they chiefs, political parties, individuals and groups to take this hardly won freedom from us by using lies and falsehood because the NPP will always champion the truth".

The party commended the police for the timely intervention and urged them to continue to protect lives and properties of all citizens regardless of political affiliation or region of origin.