Akufo-Addo’s intervention to ban vigilantism commendable – Victor Smith
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Ghana’s former Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Victor Smith, has pat Akufo-Addo on the back over his resolve to use legislation to disband vigilantism if all voluntary mechanisms fail.
Vigilantism has become an albatross on the neck of the country with many Ghanaians expressing worry about the violence associated with it and called for its outright disbandment in the country.
The two main political parties, the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the largest opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) are culprits of forming vigilante groups, with the Ghana Police Service, estimating that each has five groups.
Commenting on vigilantism in his State of the Nation Address on the floor of Parliament, last Thursday, the President said what was tolerated over the years cannot and must not be accepted anymore, stressing that the peace and security of the country must not be taken for granted; not for a moment since “our children and grandchildren will not forgive us if we were to compromise our peace and stability. I will not permit that to occur under my watch”.
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To that effect, he urged the leadership of the NPP to extend an invitation to the leadership of the NDC for a meeting on vigilantism, noting that the security services of the country will be on standby to assist the meeting.
“I want to use the platform of this message 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 phenomenon of vigilantism in our body politic”.
“The events of last Monday in Kumasi where a meeting of the national and regional executives of the opposition NDC was broken up by acts of violence, leading to the tragic death of a citizen, have reinforced the urgent need for us to find the path”, he noted.
President Akufo-Addo however cautioned that “if voluntary disbandment by the parties is not feasible, then I will initiate legislation on the matter. Vigorous debate and the exchange of ideas should be the true basis of political dialogue and competition in our country, not the activities of party vigilante groups”.
Ambassador Smith interacting with Kwaku Owusu Adjei on Anopa Kasapa on Kasapa 102.5 FM, Monday, said issues of vigilantism is a threat to national security and has been discussing same with the President to disband it from Ghana.
