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Many were the calls for President Akufo Addo to speak on the disbandment of political vigilantes in the country.
Responding to this call during his third State of The Nation Address in Parliament, Thursday, President Akufo-Addo said “The time has come to put an end to the phenomenom of politically-related violence,” he said, adding that “our children and grandchildren will not forgive us” if the country’s peace and security is undermined.
According to him, he has called for a meeting between the leadership of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to chart a path in ending the phenomenon of vigilante groups in the country and that if that doesn't work, he will initiate legislation in the matter.
"I want to make a sincere passionate appeal to the leaders of the two main political parties in our country – NPP and NDC – to come together as soon as possible, preferably next week, to agree on appropriate measures to bring an end to this worrying and unacceptable phenomenom of vigilantism in our body politic . . . the Security Services of the country will be on standby to assist this meeting. If voluntarily disbandment by the parties is not feasible, then I will initiate legislation in the matter," he stated.
According to him the only way in our system to deal with such a situation is through the work of the Commission of Inquiry.
I hope the findings and recommendation of Emile Short Commission will enable us to chart a path to ending violence in our country.
Background
The issue of vigilantism has been an albatross on the neck of the country.
The vigilante groups normally made up of heavily built men often cause mayhem and disrupts activities, not in their favour.
Some of these groups are Azorka boys, The Hawks, Invincible Forces, Delta Forces among others.
Calls to disband these groups increased after the Ayawaso by-election which led to the injury of about 16 people and the Kumasi shooting incident which led to the death of one person.
Source: Rebecca Addo Tetteh/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected]
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THE CURRENT EVENTS PROVIDE FINE OPPORTUNITY FOR AKUFO ADDO TO BAN VIGILANTISM WITH LEGISLATIVE INSTRUMENTI. AT AYAWASO IT WAS NECESSARY FOR THE SECURITY FORCES TO MOVE AND STOP ANY ATTEMPT TO SNATCH BARROT BOXES OR HARM ANY CITIZEN BY THE NDC VIGILANTIES AMASSING AT THE HOUSE OF THE NDC CANDIDATE. NDC HAD DONE IT BEFORE IN MANY ELECTIONS AT KUMASI, ATIWA, TALENSI, AMENFI AND SOME OTHER PLACES. THEY ARE NOTORIOUS FOR THAT AND THEY COULD HAVE DONE IT AT AGAIN AT AYAWASO, IF THEY HAD NOT BEEN STOPPED. THE VIOLENT CHARACTER OF NDC HAS JUST RESURFACED AT THEIR MEETING IN THE ASHANTI REGIONAL OFFICE AT KUMASI CAUSING THE DEATH OF THEIR OWN MEMBER AND INJURY OF OTHERS. THE EMIL SHORT COMMISSION BECAME NECESSARY WHEN ALL GHANAIANS DEMANDED FOR THE TRUTH IN THE VIOLENT INCIDENT AT AYAWASO. A LOT HAS COME OUT FROM THE COMMISSION'S INQUIRY. TRANSPORTATION OF VIGILANTES FROM, TAMALE, KUMASI AND OTHER PLACES TO BE INVOLVED IN AN UNCOMPETITIVE ELECTION, IN THE HEART OF GHANA CAPITAL, WITHOUT ANY TENSION. ATTEMPT BY THE SECURITY TO NIB IN THE BUD THE TREAT TO SECURITY MET RESISTANCE FROM THE VIGILANTES WHICH HAS GENERATED SO MUCH TALK ACROSS THE NATION. MANY IN GHANA HAS NOW BECOME VERY CONSCIOUS ABOUT THE EVIL OF VIGILANTISM WITH THE SHOOTING AND KILLING BY VIGILANTES WITH NDC AT KUMASI. THIS HAS PROVIDE PRESIDENT AKUFFO ADDO A FINE OPPORTUNITY TO DISBAND AND BAN ALL VIGILANTES.THIS MIGHT BE OUR LAST CHANCE TO DEAL WITH MATTER AND THERE CAN BE NO OTHER OPPORTUNITY BETTER THAN THIS. PRESIDENT AKUFO ADDO MUST GO AHEAD TO INVITE THE POLITICAL PARTIES TO TALK AND DISBAND VIGILANTES. AT THE SAME TIME, WITH OUTCOME OF THE COMMISSION THE PRESIDENT MUST INITIATE THE PROCESS TO BACK THE DISBAND WITH LEGISLATIVE INSTRUMENT TO AVOID ANY RESUMPTION.THERE IS GREAT AMOUNT OF MISTRUST AMONG THE POLITICAL PARTIES, ESPECIALLY BETWEEN NPP AND NDC AND IT IS ONLY AND ACT OF LAW THAT CAN FIRMLY UPROOT THIS CANKER FORM OUR SOCIETY.
Mr. President you must first remove all the delta and Invisible forces from the national security before talking of disbanding the various groups. You have already put your forces into the state securities and now deceiving NDC to disband their,s. Not serious at all.
Suggesting legislation if the talks do not yield a meaningful result? What about our criminal code? It can solve this problem easily if the police and the judicial system is not politicised. Someone should tell me if an NPP person cause harm after this a law is passed, will the gurus in the party allow the person to face justice? on the other hand, if the NDC comes to power, will they allow any of their vigilante group member(s) to face justice if they cause any harm? Someone should answer, please.
What kind of adanko dadaa aduii is that? This is like the lion telling the antelope to come for peace talks.
too late