We’ll disband our vigilante groups if NPP does same – NDC

The main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has said it is ready to disband all of its affiliated vigilante groups if the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) will do same.

“We wish to emphasise our readiness to order the disbandment of these groups provided and only if, President Akufo-Addo shows signs of readiness to protect the lives and property of our members by disarming and disbanding the NPPs numerous vigilante groups; arresting and prosecuting all NPP members who have been cited for various breaches of the law through vigilantism; including the forcible release of NPP suspects from police custody, the forcible ejection of some Chief Executive Officers of State Owned Organisations from their offices, and providing appropriate operational environment for state security agencies to regain their control and mandate in protecting life and property of the citizenry,” a statement signed by the party’s General Secretary, Aseidu Nketia said.

This comes after the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) condemned the recent endorsement of newly-formed vigilante groups of the NDC: The Hawks, Lions and Dragons by Mr Aseidu Nketia.

Mr Nketia endorsed the vigilante groups as a “natural response” to, what he described as the NPP’s refusal to disband its own vigilante groups: The Invisible Forces, Kandahar Boys, Delta Force.

The NDC said they formed their vigilante groups to protect its members but will disband them if the NPP does same.

Below is the full statement:

NDC RESPONDS TO NCCE STATEMENT ON POLITICAL PARTY VIGILANTISM

The NDC has taken a rather regrettable notice of the Press Statement issued by the National Commission for Civic Education under the heading “NCCE CONDEMNS RE-EMERGENCE OF POLITICAL PARTY VIGILANTE GROUPS”.

First of all, we welcome the new awakening of organizations like the NCCE to an over-grown menace of Political Party Vigilantism in the country. Indeed, we are more encouraged and motivated by the fact that individual members of our party, have now taken charge of their personal security by organizing themselves into groups so as to provide adequate security for the lives and property of our party members. It is important to reiterate our support for any such group formed for this purpose.

As we may all be aware, this has been necessitated by the persistent and loud failure of the Akuffo Addo led NPP government to rein-in their para-military trained vigilante groups, who have since their electoral victory, virtually over-powered the state security and rendered them ineffective in their bid to protect life and property of fellow citizens.

We were all witnesses to the loud silence, the helpless response of the state security and the protection of the Judiciary, when the Delta Forces visited terror on the Ashanti Regional Security Coordinator and their subsequent invasion of the Kumasi Circuit Court to free their colleagues who were on trial for the brutalisation of the said Security Coordinator.

These same NPP vigilante forces unlawfully seized two of our party vehicles under bizarre circumstances, which said vehicles are still in the custody of the flagstaff house security, even after submission of all vehicle documentation to the transport officer at the Flagstaff House.

They again brutally invaded the residence of our Member of Parliament for Asunafo South Mr. Eric Opoku and visited mayhem amidst gunshots on the occupants of the house and other NDC faithfuls, we can only remember loud silence of President Akuffo Addo and how helpless the police looked on in this matter.

We have all been witnesses to the various episodes of terrorism, intimidation and brutalization of our functionaries by these NPP vigilante groups and not on any single occasion did we see an attempt by the NCCE or any section of moral society to condemn these acts of terrorism from these NPP vigilante groups.

So where was the NCCE in 2015, when the then Candidate Akuffo Addo recruited and brought in mercenaries to train and establish the para-military wings of the New Patriotic Party. We didn’t hear the NCCE when the South African mercenaries were arrested and deported. Several attempts to get the moral society to speak and condemn this act of forming a terrorist group proved futile; their Rambo styled attacks against NPP persons purported to be against Candidate Akuffo Addo was replete in the daily news reportage.

Unfortunately, this NCCE condemnation has come in rather too late in the day. We have allowed the NPP to perpetrate these acts of injustice to our members for far too long. We shall not miss any opportunity to protect the lives and property of our people.

Whiles we are guided by the saying that ‘he who seeks peace, must prepare for war’, we wish to serve notice of our cautious adoption of all the groups formed by our members to protect the interest of our party.

However, we wish to emphasize our readiness to order the disbandment of these groups provided and only if, President Akuffo Addo shows signs of readiness to protect the lives and property of our members by disarming and disbanding the NPPs numerous vigilante groups; arresting and prosecuting all NPP members who have been cited for various breaches of the law through vigilantism; including the forcible release of NPP suspects from police custody, the forcible ejection of some Chief Executive Officers of State Owned Organizations from their offices and providing appropriate operational environment for State Security agencies to regain their control and mandate in protecting life and property of the citizenry.

Long Live the NDC!!

Long Live our Peace and Security!!

Long Live our Democracy!!

Long Live Ghana!!

Signed:

Hon Johnson Asiedu-Nketiah

General Secretary