Gov't Failure To Ban Vigilantism Dangerous For 2020 Elections - WACCE Warns

Mr Mutaru Mumuni Muqthar, the executive director of the West Africa Centre for Counter-Extremism (WACCE) has warned that government's failure or delay to ban political vigilante groups in time is dangerous for Ghana as the nation prepares for election 2020.

He said vigilante violence represents the single biggest source of electoral violence in Ghana.

According to him, government, political parties and all other stakeholders must do everything to rid the country's political and social space off vigilante groups.

Mr Muqthar said this at the opening of a two-day workshop on the theme: "The Challenge of Vigilante Violence and Ensuring Peaceful Elections in Ghana' organised by the WACCE in Yendi in the Northern Region.

He said the phenomenon of vigilantism was not only dangerous for country's peace but also a distraction to development of Ghana.

The Executive Director noted that, the current processes including the political efforts led by the National Peace Council, the Vigilante Act, and the Emile Short Committee's recommendations needed to be acted upon quikly to ensure that such measures were conclusive in time before this year's election.

The workshop in Yendi concluded WACCE's project on ensuring inclusive and peaceful elections in vulnerable areas in Ghana.

The organization during the 2019 held several workshops and advocacy activities in Saboba, Chereponi and Bole as part of efforts in contributing to peaceful elections in 2020.

Participants of the workshops were drafted into the WACCE PeaceNetwork to sustain the efforts by serving as effective Peace Ambassadors for sustainable peace.

The project was supported by the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI).