The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has said the rhetoric against political vigilantism must stop and there must be clear commitment by political parties to disband such groups in the interest of peace and stability.
Addressing a news conference in Accra yesterday, The Chairman of the NCCE Mrs Josephine Nkrumah said the activities were politically backed and endorsed by political parties which made them a threat to the rights of citizens in the country.
Mrs Nkrumah appealed to the President Nana Akuffo-Addo to continue to play a lead role to stamp out political violence in the country for it to become one of his legacies in the nation.
She also urged politicians as citizens to first respect the peace and security the 1992 constitution guarantees to every citizen, adding that “they must also stop endorsing political thugs and leave issues of security to the security services.
Mrs Nkrumah said the NCCE maintained its condemnation of any political violence by thugs styled as vigilante groups and also condemned the shooting incident that was believed to have been orchestrated by an alleged vigilante groups called the “Hawks” in Kumasi few days ago.
The NCCE chairman reiterated that the commission would continue to “name and shame any political party” who endorsed political vigilantism until the groups were completely disbanded.
“The NCCE will continue to condemn, name and shame all political parties who endorse, support, and sponsor or identify themselves with any of these groups until these groups were disbanded in word and in deed,” she added.
Mrs Nkrumah also endorsed the idea for a possible amendment of the 1992 constitution to review the independence of security agencies from the influence of politicians or any form of authority.
The Chairman commended the Ghana Police Service for the swift response in mounting the search for the identified thugs who carried out the dastardly act in Kumasi at the NDC regional office and called on them to bring such perpetrators to book.
She added that the NCCE had been following the proceedings of the Emile Short Commission of Inquiry and was optimistic that any recommendations made by the commission would empower the security agencies.
She further called on the media’s engagement to uproot the canker of political vigilantism saying that the media should devote time to address the issues of political vigilantism
The NCCE also called for commitment to a process that uproots political violence, deepens the rule of law and empowers security agencies to ensure peace and stability of the democratic dispensation.
BY David Takyi
