No Way for Vigilantism – Nana Addo Assures

The President Nana Akufo Addo says his commitment towards the fight against political vigilantism in the country in unshaken.

He says the phenomenon will soon be a thing of the past.

Interacting with the Ghanaian community in Malta as part of his two-day state visit to the European country, President Akufo Addo said political vigilantism is being addressed.

“We have a lot of challenges in our country. You know about the political issues in Ghana and the phenomenon of vigilantism and all of that. These are worrying matters that I am determined to bring under control.”

Activities of political party militia groups are said to have the tendency of destabilizing the country and reversing the democratic gains the country has made over the years.

The violence that marred the Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency on January 31, 2019 due to activities of supposed politically-aligned vigilante groups, brought on a broader conversation over the matter.

But Nana Addo who has already instructed the Attorney General to prepare legislation to stop the phenomenon of political vigilantism says nothing will stop his administration to in the fight against the menace.

“Come what may, we will rid our country of some of these phenomena. We don’t need these in the new Ghana we want to build that people use force to determine the politics and decision making process. We don’t need it; we need to have a country whereby decisions are taken d on the basis of the force of arguments and the quality of presentations that are made of the political actors of the state.”

He added: “I believe if all of us agree that is the way forward; these unpleasant phenomena that we have been witnessing in our country in recent times will also be brought under control”.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) days ago officially wrote to the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to dialogue over the disbandment of vigilante groups within their setups.

The correspondence comes weeks after President Akufo-Addo directed the two major political parties to dissolve their vigilante groups during his State of the Nation Address.

“We have also taken notice of your request to expand the scope of the engagement to Include multiple stakeholders, and wish to assure you that the NPP avails itself for this consideration at the meeting, which will afford the two parties the opportunity to agree on the various stakeholders to be invited in the subsequent engagements,” the general secretary John Boadu said in the letter addressed to the national chairman of the NDC Samuel Ofosu Ampofo.

It added: “The NPP proposes that this crucial meeting comes off during this week, at a venue convenient to you. And so, we entreat you to as soon as possible, get in touch with the party when you find a suitable venue for this meeting.”

The much awaited letter written by the General Secretary of the NPP, John Boadu said the invitation has been necessitated not only by the President’s call during the 2019 State of the Nation’s Address, but also, by the legitimate concerns expressed by the overwhelming Ghanaians about this menace, and the need for the two political parties to do the needful, in the interest of the nation.

It said “You would recall that, since the President made this call, our National Chairman, Hon. Freddie Blay, has been engaging your good self in telephone conversations on the subject. We think that time is now rife for the parties to hold this crucial meeting, which the whole nation has been looking forward to.”

The letter stated that the NPP proposes that the crucial meeting comes off during this week, at a venue convenient to you adding that “And so, we entreat you to as soon as possible, get in touch with the party when you find a suitable venue for this meeting.”