Flush Out Political Vigilantism From the Country - NCCE

By Claude Nyarko Adams

The National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE) has warned of slow economic growth if activities of political vigilantism are not uprooted from the country.

The concern follows reports of another violent attack by Delta Force, a vigilante group associated with the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) at Tafo Pankrono Constituency in the Ashanti Region, where a meeting between the Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, Dr Anthony Akoto Osei and constituency executives was disrupted.

Condemning the latest vigilante activity at a press conference in Accra yesterday, chairperson of the Commission, Madam Josephine Nkrumah, said Ghana was at risk of losing investor confidence, social security and peaceful co-existence if political vigilantism persists.

She explained that any country which was struggling to promote investor confidence, social security and peaceful co-existence, which were key factors for the creation of conducive environment for businesses to thrive, would consequently suffer poor economic returns.

"The NCCE will not cease to condemn, name and shame vigilantism and all acts of lawlessness because of the risk it poses to the country's democratic stability, social security, investor confidence and peaceful co-existence of all Ghanaians amongst other factors. If we allow this trend to continue, it will be detrimental to the growth of the economy as well as national development as a whole," she stated.

Describing the activities of political vigilantism as a national crisis, the chairperson called on security agencies to hasten investigations into the latest incident and bring the culprits to book and urged political parties to remind their members of their responsibility towards the nation.

"Political parties must genuinely exhibit to Ghanaians that they respect the rule of law. They must show commitment to peace and national stability by disbanding immediately all militant groups within their rank and file. Enough of the lip service to rule of law. We Ghanaians demand that laws and institutions must be allowed to work without fear or favour," she added.

In order to discourage other groups from undertaking a similar course, Madam Nkrumah asked the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to proscribe the activities of militant groups as the first step towards disbanding them and sending a clear warning to others contemplating engaging in similar acts.

She said it was time for a change in approach in clamping down on political vigilantism as the leniency with which Delta Force vigilantes were handled when they struck at law courts to free their fellow perpetrators rather emboldened them to continue to act with impunity.

"The National Security Minister, Ghana Police Service and alls security agencies must work together to restore the confidence of Ghanaians in security and law enforcement agencies. We again call on the National Peace Council, Christian Council of Ghana, Office of the Chief Imam, traditional rulers, civil society organisations and all other groups and associations to collectively join in fighting against the dastardly acts," the chairperson stated.

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