Prominent legal practitioner and social activist, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, has issued a stern warning to the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), urging restraint in its handling of political dissent to avoid losing public trust ahead of the next general elections.
His remarks follow the recent arrest and subsequent release of Alfred Ababio Kumi, also known as Adenta Kumi, a youth activist affiliated with the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP). Kumi was detained by the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) for what authorities described as conduct bordering on public incitement.
But Barker-Vormawor, writing in a Facebook post on Saturday, described the NDC government’s actions as “overzealous policing” that risks alienating the very electorate it hopes to court in 2028.
“This feels like the umpteenth time I have to rebuke the NDC about the risk of overzealous policing,” he wrote. “If every person coughs wrong and you feel the need to send in 20 security officers to arrest them, you will be led down a path of no return.”
The activist, a vocal advocate for civil liberties and democratic accountability, argued that such tactics mirror the errors of the previous NPP administration, mistakes he believes contributed to their eventual electoral defeat.
“I will support the Government when it makes ORAL arrests,” he added, referring to the Operation Recover All Loots initiative aimed at retrieving stolen state assets. “But if someone engages in unnecessary propaganda and you feel the need to show them where power lies, listen, that power will leave you.”
Barker-Vormawor’s comments come amid growing concerns among civil society groups over a perceived rise in politically motivated detentions and a shrinking space for dissent.
He called on the NDC to focus on its core mandate and resist the temptation to engage in reactionary politics, which he warned could distract from governance priorities and undermine the party’s credibility.
