The leader of the Great Consolidated Popular Party Dan Lartey has accused President Kufuor’s security network of operating a system similar to that of a police state. According to him, the rampant invitations of perceived political opponents and enemies of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) are not acceptable in any modern state and democracy.
He told the Ghana News Agency that the intention of the operatives of the "Political Police Force" is to silence and harass into submission known critics and perceived enemies of the government.
Mr. Lartey referred to the recent invitation of the wife of former Vice President Atta Mills, Mrs Naadu Mills by operatives of the national security agency and called on civil society to condemn such actions irrespective of party affiliation.
The GCPP leader said the explanation of the security agencies that they seized the four cars from the residence of Prof. Mills for using security operational registration numbers limited to their operatives was "a cover-up" after public outcry. The cars, a Toyota Land Cruiser, a Toyota Corollas and one Ford Condor, have since been released to Mills' family.
Mr Lartey said "a serious minded security network" should have known that the cars were part of the end-of-service benefit of the former Vice President and it should not have taken it more than one year to notice that those vehicles were using the wrong numbers. The GCPP leader urged all political parties and civil society to prevail upon government to dismantle the 'Political wing of the Police Force.'
"Those who keep quiet when their opponents are terrorised and harassed would not get anybody to cry for them when the scale turns on them."
According to him, the modus operandi of the national security is similar to the GESTAPO tactics of Nazi Germany, which cannot be accepted under the current democratic dispensation.
He recounted his recent invitation by the National Security Agents for questioning on Christmas Eve for hours, after he called for early elections, saying the rationale and actual intention for the invitation had still not been made clear.
