The National Democratic Congress (NDC) in another letter signed by its National Chairman, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, has asked the President to remain supportive to both the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and NDC as they meet and deliberate over the issue of disbanding vigilantism.
“Without prejudice to your prerogatives as president, we think that such a national dialogue will provide the best opportunity to evaluate the adequacy of our legislation and get a broad consensus behind whatever interventions your Excellency intends, pending this, we note that the general organisations whose operations are inimical to the public interest.
“We also note that your Excellency as chair of the National Security Council can demand that it ceases the unlawful organisation and deployment of armed forces such as we saw in the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election. And, of course, your Excellency can also instruct your ministerial appointees at the Ministries for National Security and Interior to take steps to disband the forces,” the letter stated in part.
President Nana Akufo-Addo first proposed the meeting between the two parties when he presented his State of the Nation Address in February following the gun violence that marred the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election on January 31, 2019.
The NDC, however, wrote to the president, through its National Chairman, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, suggesting that the National Peace Council be made part of such a meeting as a neutral interlocutor along with other stakeholders.
The president responded to that letter insisting the two parties were capable of meeting at the table to deal with the problem themselves without involving outsiders.
The NDC replied the president in a second letter in which the party insisted on having neutral third parties such as the United Nation (UN), the African Union (AU), and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) at such a meeting to mediate the talks.
In his second reply to the NDC, President Akufo-Addo said he had ordered his Attorney- General and Minister of Justice to start drafting legislation towards outlawing political party militarism without prejudice to any meeting the two parties may subsequently have over the same matter. –peacefmonline.com