Stop harassing your opponents - NDC cautions Gov't

Accra, Sept 12, GNA - The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Party on Saturday cautioned the Government not to use the security apparatus to intimidate its opponents in the run-up to the December general elections.

"The Government's intention to intimidate its opponents portended grave danger to our young democracy" a release signed by Mr Bede A. Ziedeng, Deputy General Secretary of the NDC in Accra said. It said the Party had learnt with shock and disbelief reports from sections of the media that armed Policemen stormed the residence of Mr Danny Ofori-Atta, leader of the EGLE Party on Thursday under the pretext of searching for illegal arms and ammunitions.

That action, the NDC said, coming as it were, on the eve of the December 2004 elections was most unfortunate, particularly when Mr Ofori-Atta believed that it was politically motivated and calculated to intimidate him.

The Party said it found the Police action most inappropriate as the search was conducted without any search warrant as provided by law and that it was particularly concerned about the issue because Mr Ofori-Atta complained that, that was the second time he had been subjected to that type of treatment.

The release recalled that a similar Police action was taken against Mr Dan Lartey, the Presidential Candidate of the Great Consolidated People's Party (GCPP) and Dr Edward Mahama, leader of the People's National Convention (PNC) party when they both made unfavourable comments about the ruling government and on the recent Navrongo bye-election respectively.

According to the NDC, the latest incident involving Mr Ofori-Atta "only goes to confirm the fact that the NPP government has not only a penchant for harassing and intimidating its opponents but more importantly, the government has been gripped by creeping paranoia." The NDC, the statement said expressed its sympathy to Mr Ofori-Atta and his entire family for the ordeal they were subjected to.