Akufo-Addo Must Disband Vigilante Groups And Allow The Security Agencies To Work

STRANEK, once again calls on the President of the Republic to disband all vigilante groups starting with those aligned with the ruling NPP government.

Unfortunately, the NDC as announced by its General Secretary at it's just ended 9th National Delegates Congress has also joined the ruling NPP in creating vigilante groups.

Although it claims that their creation of vigilante groups is a rather unfortunate development but a legitimate response to the abuse, harassment and intimidation NDC members and past government officials have suffered in the hands of NPP vigilante groups, we believe all sides are wrong and must disband immediately in the interest of public peace and security.

As a think tank focused on security, governance and anti-corruption, we will like to urge H.E. the President to heed to the calls of civil society organizations and lead the way by ordering the immediate disbandment of all such paramilitary groups under his control.

Ghana must remain peaceful regardless of political machinations in order to ensure public safety, sustained socioeconomic growth and investor confidence in our country.

The creation of these vigilante groups is gradually pushing the security of this country to the tipping point.

As is popular news, the emergence of paramilitary vigilante groups have led to atrocities including a dardstadly act in which a judge was alleged to have been chased out of a courtroom while court was in session by elements of these vigilante groups aligned with the ruling NPP.

Other reports in the media also tell gory stories of how some of these vigilante groups who are part of the security team at the Jubilee House allegedly engage in armed robbery, assault and rape among others.

There are also worrying reports of arms allegedly given to vigilante groups to terrorise some sections of the Ghanaian public. And all these highlight the fast deteriorating national security situation which requires urgent intervention by the President and his national security council.

As we get close to the 2020 national campaigning season and general elections, a period generally characterized by heightened tensions and insecurity, we will like to urge H.E the President that in the interest of national safety and security, he should expedite action on disbanding these vigilante groups.

We know that several appeals to H.E. the President to disband these vigilante groups has fallen on deaf ears but we reiterate this clarion call to express the gravity of the issue at hand.

We are all involved in building our motherland.

Signed.
Nii Tettey Tetteh
Executive Director