AWW Violence: NUGS Declares War On Political Vigilantism, Blames Gov't For The Violence 

The National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) has observed with utter disappointment the violent skirmishes that characterised the just-ended by-election in the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency.

In video footages circulating around both on electronic and social media, a group of heavily armed masked men were seen assaulting civilians including a Member of Parliament in the La Bawaleshie Electoral Area. There are also reports of sporadic gun shots in some parts of the constituency. These violent acts have culminated in the injury of about 18 people currently receiving medical treatment in various health facilities in Accra.

This is a constituency that encompasses two major tertiary institutions, the University of Ghana and the Ghana Institute Of Management and Public Adm. (GIMPA). The horrifying development of events notably the incident where a former SRC President of the University of Ghana and currently a national officer of one of the political parties was assaulted has created a state of fear and panic amongst students who were supposed to resume school on the day of elections and parents who had to release their wards to go back to school. There's fear for the lives and safety of the students and questions of the level of security within the universities are being raised by concerned parents.

Even worrisome is the fact that the perpetrators of this heinous crime are unknown to the security architecture of the Ghana Police Service as the Service has disassociated itself from the shameless act.

NUGS wishes to condemn categorically and unequivocally this dastardly act and calls on the Ghana Police Service to as a matter of urgency conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances leading to the unleashing of terror on innocent civilians in the matter we saw in the circulating videos.

The incident was indeed a travesty of democracy and a departure from the tenets of rule of law. It no doubt gave us a negative mileage in the international media and dented our enviable image as a beacon of democracy, peace and stability in Africa.

NUGS by this statement is calling on the government to as a measure of urgency ensure that the perpetrators of the mayhem are brought to book and we expect the executive arm to show leadership as these issues involving the deteriorating state of security of the nation have become one too many. Failure to heed this call, violent skirmishes as witnessed in the by-election could serve as a prelude to mayhem in the 2020 elections, a development that would mar the relative peace the country is enjoying.

NUGS ends by calling on civil society, the media, clergy and indeed, all well-meaning peace-loving Ghanaians to join the bandwagon in condemning this nefarious act and demanding that perpetrators be punished in accordance with law to serve as a deterrent to like-thinking individuals and groups. Any act of violence anywhere is a serious threat to peace everywhere and all hands must be on deck in nipping this canker in the bud.

Long live NUGS

Long live our nation Ghana,

God bless Ghana and make it truly great and strong.

Thank you.

Signed:

Gombilla Saddique Mohammed

(NUGS PRESIDENT)

024-2928640

Koku Abotsi

(General Secretary)

0247259025