Akufo-Addo's intervention to ban activism is commendable – Victor Smith

General News of Monday, February 25, 2019

Source: kasapafmonline.com

2019-02-25

Ghana's former ambbadador to the United Kingdom, Victor Smith, congratulated Akufo-Addo on his determination to use legislation to dissolve vigilance if all voluntary mechanisms fail.

Vigilance has become an albatross on the neck of the country. Many Ghanaians expressed concern about the violence badociated with it and called for its complete dissolution in the country.

The two main political parties, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), in power, and the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the largest opposition party, are the culprits for forming self-defense groups. The Ghana Police Service estimates that they each have five groups.

In his speech on the state of the nation before parliament last Thursday, the president said that what was tolerated over the years can not and should no longer be accepted, stressing that the peace and security of the country should not be taken for granted; not for a moment, because "our children and our grandchildren will not forgive us if we compromise our peace and stability. I will not allow this to happen under my supervision. "

To this end, he urged NPP leaders to invite NDC leaders to a vigilantism meeting, noting that the security services of the country would be ready to attend the meeting.

"I wish to use the platform of this message to make a sincere and pbadionate appeal to the leaders of the two main political parties of our country, NPP and NDC, so that they gather as soon as possible, preferably next week. , in order to agree. appropriate measures to put an end to this disturbing and unacceptable phenomenon of vigilance in our body politic ".

"The events of last Monday in Kumasi, where a meeting of national and regional leaders of the opposition NDC were dispersed by acts of violence, resulting in the tragic death of a citizen, reinforced the urgent need for us to find the way, "he noted.

President Akufo-Addo warned, however, that "if the voluntary dismantling by the parties is not feasible, I will then introduce a bill on this subject. A lively debate and exchange of ideas should be the real basis of political dialogue and competition in our country, not the activities of party self-defense groups. "

Ambbadador Smith met with Kwaku Owusu Adjei on Anopa Kasapa on Kasapa 102.5 FM on Monday, said vigilance issues threatened national security and discussed with the president to dissolve him from Ghana.

"Making this profound statement about activism and going so far as to recommend using a bill to dissolve it in case of failure of the voluntary mechanisms, suggests that the president has done well. I've always told the president to use it to dissolve vigilance because it is degenerating. More importantly, the police should work hard by strengthening the country's laws to dissolve vigilance. So I could not agree more with what the president said in his speech on the state of the nation, "he said.

Speaking further, Ambbadador Smith proposed that a law prohibiting any president from appointing the PGI to be appointed, emphasizing that "the nomination of the PGI should be totally independent".