Deal with supporters of your government before addressing you – Asiedu Nketia

General News of Friday, February 22, 2019

Source: citinewsroom.com

2019-02-22

The National Democratic Congress (NDC), an opposition party, wants President Nana Akufo-Addo to address the issue of vigilance in her ruling party before launching an invitation to meet any political party on this issue .

President Akufo-Addo has promised to put in place a legislative instrument to end the militancy of political parties if political parties do not voluntarily dissolve such illegal groups.

To this end, he is asking the leaders of the two main parties, the New Patriotic Party and the National Democratic Congress, to meet and discuss ways to dissolve their groups, whose activities often lead to violence. NDC Secretary General Johnson Asiedu Nketia, who believes that the evil activities of self-defense groups are fueled by the government of the day, announced that the President intended to use the legislation to dissolve groups of militias, which will eventually be a mad hunt. .

"This point of view is false, there is a system of vigilance within the government. He should talk about it before coming to talk about the NPP, the NDC and the other political parties. There is vigilance in the state apparatus and that is what creates the problem. It also prevents state institutions from suppressing vigilance because they themselves are infested by it. "

"I want to believe that a meeting between NPP and NDC will not solve any problem. In addition, the president's threat to resort to legislation will not solve any problem because there are laws in the country that can deal with this problem. What is missing is the political will of the ruling president. It is enough for the president to clean the state apparatus of vigilance to repress it outside this device, "added Asiedu Nketia.

Stop vigilantism of the party or I will do it with legislation – Nana Addo to NDC, NPP

President Akufo-Addo is forced to enforce the legislation at a time when the NDC and the NPP have denied any charge of being responsible for the growing threat of vigilance in the country.

Akufo-Addo said the phenomenon of political vigilance could destabilize the country and reverse the country's democratic achievements over the years.

"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, "he said.

Citing recent violence that affected the constituency of Ayawaso West Wuogon due to alleged activities of politically aligned self-defense groups, President Akufo-Addo pledged to use a legislation to end the phenomenon if both parties did not voluntarily.

"I asked the leaders of the NPP to invite NDC leaders to such a meeting. The security services of the country will be ready to attend this meeting … If the voluntary dismantling by the parties is not feasible, I will propose legislation on this subject. A vigorous debate and exchange of ideas should be the true basis of political dialogue and competition in our country, not the activities of party party groups, "he added.

Vigilantism in Ghana

The phenomenon of vigilantism has become a current issue in the country as a result of the increasing number of physical attacks and attacks perpetrated by members of self-defense groups aligned with Ghana's main political parties, the NDC. and the NPP.

Some of these attacks resulted in death and injury to victims, including innocent citizens.

Recently, the presence of masked and armed men in a polling station during the partial election of Ayawaso Wuogon sparked discussions about it.