President orders probe into harassment of EGLE party functionary

President John Agyekum Kufuor on Wednesday ordered an immediate investigation into the alleged terrorising of Alhaji M. B. Seidu, National Organiser of the EGLE party at his residence at Mallam Atta in Accra.

This was in reaction to a story in an Accra Daily that armed men believed to be police and military personnel last Thursday arrested a night watchman at the offices of National Democratic Congress and ordered him to direct them to the residence of Alhaji Seidu where they subjected his household to harassment.

Alhaji Malik Alhassan Yakubu, the Interior Minister told newsmen that in ordering the probe the President instructed that it be made known to security personnel that he would not allow anyone to take people's liberties for granted.

He said the allegations would not be taken lightly if they were proved to be true, stressing that the government was committed to ensuring the maintenance of law and order in a civilised manner and not to let people feel dehumanised in their own country.

Alhaji Yakubu said it was unacceptable for security personnel to use their office to settle personal scores and in so doing abuse the fundamental human rights of the citizenry.

"We will not condone criminality and lawlessness," he said, adding that even when a person was guilty of an offence, he must be treated with some dignity through the due process of the law.

He said over-zealous security personnel should not be allowed to tarnish the hard- won reputation of their establishments.