Pelpuo quizzes urgency attached to vigilantism bill

April 16, 2019

1 minute read

The Member of Parliament for Wa Central, Dr Rashid Pelpuo, has wondered why the president will contradict his own words in dealing with vigilantism in the country.

“The President has indicated that he will only bring in legislation after the two main political parties, National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) fail to chart a path in ending the canker and what has prompted him to violate his own idea?”

The Wa Central MP was speaking on the political vigilantism bill that was laid in Parliament by the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Gloria Akuffo.

The Attorney-General has asked parliament to under a certificate of urgency, approve the Vigilantism and Related Offences Bill 2019, when approved will be used to end acts of violence perpetuated under the guise of vigilantism.

However, Dr Pelpuo had questioned the urgency attached to the bill, claiming the action by the government would affect discussion between the two parties which started last week.

“The bill has come as a big surprise, the president gave a condition that if the political parties fail to address the issue, then he was going to legislate on it. He got them to start talking and then he is legislating. What has prompted him to violate his own idea? It’s confusing.

“The president is too much in a hurry. Why the certificate for urgency? We all think vigilantism is unacceptable and that something should be done, but to violate the cordiality, he still has a lot to do,” Dr Pelpuo noted.

However, Osei Bonsu Amoah, the Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, disagreed and insisted that the president was moving in a positive direction saying, “The president took such a step for the two main political parties to realise that the issue of vigilantism needs urgent attention”.