The National Democratic Congress and the New Patriotic Party have agreed to engage in deliberations aimed at disbanding vigilante groups operating within political parties or for political purpose.
The assurance from the political parties was contained in a communiqué signed by, the Chairman of the NDC Samuel Ofosu Ampofo and the Chairman of the NPP, Freddie Blay, and Board member of the National Peace Council (NPC) Professor Nana S.K.B. Asante in Accra at the first dialogue with the political parties to end political vigilantism.
The two political parties agreed to prohibit the ownership, hiring or utilization of such groups by the political parties and members and to also cooperate with state agencies and stakeholders in the total eradication of political vigilantism in the country.
The parties have also committed to exploring other processes in relation to the elimination of vigilantism.
Nana Asante said the political parties agreed that vigilantism was inimical to the country’s democratic system and must be eradicated.
He said the NDC were of the view that it should be the eradication of “political vigilantism in all its ramifications”, while the NPP were of the opinion that the focus should be “political party vigilantism in all its ramifications”.
The NPC meeting with the two political parties was in response to a call by President Akufo-Addo in his State of the Nation address on February, 2019 to eradicate political vigilantism.
Making reference to the by-election violence in recent Ayawaso West Wuogon, Chereponi, Talensi, Atiwa, the President said Ghanaians had experienced too much violence in by-elections and that it was time to put an end to the menace.
The members of the Peace Council include Apostle Dr. Opoku Onyinah, Archbishop Nicholas Duncan Williams, the General Overseer of Action Chapel International Ministry and the Executive Secretary.
The NDC team was led by Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, Chairman of the Party, Asiedu Nketiah, the General Secretary of the Party, Totobi Kwakye, former Minister of Security, Prosper Bani, Former Chief of Staff, Abraham Amaliba and Nana Ato Dadzie, members of the party’s legal team.
The NPP team was represented by the Chairman of the party, Freddie Blay, Minister of Regional Reorganization and Development, Dan Kweku Botwe, Director of NPP Communications, Yaw Buabeng Asamoah, General Secretary of NPP, John Boadu, the NPP National Youth Organiser, Sammy Awuku and a member of NPP Communication team, Gary Nimako.
