Vigilante speaks: NPP and NDC meet again on Monday, April 29

General News of Sunday, April 28, 2019

Source: kasapafmonline.com

2019-04-28

The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) are expected to come to the table on Monday, April 29, 2019 to continue discussions on dismantling political vigilance. in the country.

The meeting will be the second in three weeks with the first meeting of April 9, 2019.

This follows an invitation to both political parties by the National Peace Council, the body accepted by the parties to mediate the vigilance talks.

The long-awaited meeting, according to the invitation, will be held at Peduase Valley Resort at 9:00.

At the first meeting, both parties consented to the dissolution of self-defense groups affiliated with their party within their parties or badociated with them.

A statement issued by the Peace Council after the first round of dialogue said the two sides agreed that the militia groups were hostile to the growth of the country's democratic system.

"The National Peace Council met with key members of Ghana's two main political parties, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP), in response to a call from the President of the Republic of Ghana. , Nana Addo Dankwa. Akufo-Addo in his speech on the state of the nation to eradicate political vigilance.

"After open and exhaustive deliberation, the parties agreed that militancy was against Ghana's democratic system and that it needed to be eliminated.

"With regard to the immediate objective of mediation or dialogue, the CND believes that it should be the eradication of" political vigilance in all its ramifications ", while the NPP is d & # 39; It should be emphasized that the emphasis should be placed on the "vigilance of political parties in all its ramifications," the statement read in part.

He added: "Significantly, both parties have agreed to initiate deliberations to:

1. Dissolve vigilante groups operating within political parties or for political purposes

2. Prohibition of ownership, hiring or use of such groups by political parties or their members

3. Cooperation with state agencies and stakeholders in the total elimination of these groups or incidents of vigilance in the country

"It should be noted that both parties have also committed to exploring other processes in relation to the elimination of vigilance."

The two presidents of the NDC and the NPP, respectively, MM. Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo and Freddie Blay, signed on behalf of their parties.

A bill known as the Vigilance and Related Offenses Bill, 2019, is currently before Parliament and aims to dissolve the vigilance system of political parties in the country.