Vigilance Bill tabled in Parliament

General News on Thursday, April 11, 2019

Source: starrfm.com.gh

2019-04-11

A vigilantism bill has been tabled in the Ghanaian Parliament for consideration and approval by the House.

Once adopted, the bill will disperse vigilance activities and prohibit the formation of such groups.

The Speaker of Parliament, Professor Mike Oquaye, has therefore referred the bill to the Constitution, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee for consideration under an emergency certificate. .

This comes after the meeting of the new ruling Patriotic Party and the opposition National Democratic Congress to discuss the dismantling of self-defense groups affiliated with their parties.

The meeting follows a call from President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to both parties to meet and find ways to dissolve their self-defense groups.

In her third speech on the state of the nation in parliament on Thursday, February 21, 2019, Nana Akufo-Addo said: "I wish to make a sincere and pbadionate appeal to the leaders of the two main political parties of our country – NPP and NDC – get together as soon as possible, preferably next week, to agree appropriate measures to put an end to this worrying and unacceptable phenomenon of vigilance in our body politic.

At the same time, the leader of Delta Force, a group of notorious Kumasi militias affiliated with the ruling New Patriotic Party, said the group was dissolving.

The Delta Force dominated the news in 2017 after the group stormed the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council to forcibly drag out a security liaison officer appointed by President Nana Akufo-Addo.

The group, made up of well-built men, later laid siege to a circuit court to release 13 of its members who were on trial for conspiracy, badault and property damage.

Addressing Julius Caesar Anadem at the Ultimate Breakfast, Delta Force leader Kojo Bamba revealed that he was responding to President Akufo-Addo's appeal to all groupings of this type end their operations.

"As we speak, we have already spoken to our members across the country and let them know that we are respecting the president's decision and that we will be doing so to dissolve our group," Bamba said.

He added: "For the respect they have for the party, they said that they were still party members, they would continue to help the party, but with respect to the protection of the polls and the protection of citizens, they will not be part of any party. vigilance activities. "