NDC Cautions President And Police

The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has condemned police arrest of the party’s Brong Ahafo regional chairman, Alhaji Collins Dauda. Alhaji Dauda was arrested and detained by the police last Thursday for visiting a police officer on duty at the President’s residence to discuss a domestic issue at night.

After his release from police custody, the former NDC MP for Asutifi South alleged that his arrest was politically motivated – an assertion that has been denied by the police CID boss, David Asante-Appeatu.

The CID boss said Alhaji Dauda was arrested because his visit to the President’s residence caused a security scare.

But in a statement signed by an NDC Deputy General Secretary, Bede Ziedeng, the party says Alhaji Dauda’s arrest is an intentional clamp down on political opponents of the NPP.

“The NDC is disappointed with the state of paranoia the President finds himself and would wish to caution him to avoid panicky security reaction that could jeopardize our fragile peace and lead to another Reconciliation exercise in future”, the statement said.

The NDC also cautioned “over-zealous and enthusiastic security personnel who are bent on taking actions just to please their ‘masters’ for they will be held responsible for their own actions”. The party called on the IGP to re-orientate policemen towards their duties.

The party expressed surprise “at the stone of silence of the various NGOs concerned with Human Rights abuses and Church Leaders who seem to imbibe the culture of brutalities, particularly when it is against NDC members”.