The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has written to
President Akufo-Addo, stating its position on the proposed meeting for
the disbandment of political vigilante groups in the country.
President Akufo-Addo, on February 21 whilst delivering his third State
of the Nation Address (SoNA), called on both the NDC and the New
Patriotic Party (NPP) to meet within a week to deliberate on the way
forward to disbanding all political militia groups in the country.
But in a written response to the president’s call on February 28, the
NDC said it was prudent that the call for a disbandment is extended to
not only the NDC and the NPP, but all political parties, civil society
organisations, representatives of the media, representatives of the
military, police and other security agencies, as well as any other
relevant stakeholders.
According to the statement signed by the NDC National Chairman, Samuel
Ofosu-Ampofo, and copied to the Chairman of the NPP, Freddie Blay, as
well as the Chairman of the National Peace Council, “In addition, in
view of the often recurrent mistrust, and suspicion that characterize
such interactions by political parties, and the pain and suffering that
vigilantism may have created especially in the recent past, it is of the
utmost importance that a mediator with national credibility be
appointed to drive the entire process.”
It said, “In that regard, my party, the NDC, propose that the National
Peace Council be appointed as the mediator for such a meeting.”
It added that “we also think that the peace council will require as
collaborators, institutions that may have unimpeachable knowledge and
expertise in providing support for such efforts.”
The statement indicated that “and in this regard the NDC propose that
the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), the
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), National Commission for
Civic Education (NCCE) and the Institute for Democratic Governance
(IDEG) join the Peace Council to facilitate the process.”
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