Citizens for Truth and Accountability Ghana (CITAG), has described as “irresponsible” and “demeaning” comments made by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on political vigilantism in the country.
The President while delivering his 3rd State of the Nation Address (SONA) on the floor of Parliament condemned vigilantism and stressed that it should not be tolerated anymore.
He charged the two main political parties the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) who are culprits to join forces and agree on how to get rid of such unlawful groups.
“I want to use the platform of this message to make a sincere, passionate appeal to the leaders of the two main political parties in our country, NPP and NDC, to come together, as soon as possible, preferably next week, to agree on appropriate measures to bring an end to this worrying and unacceptable phenomenon of vigilantism in our body politic,” President Akufo-Addo said.
Reacting to this in a statement, CITAG maintained that the call by the President means he is entrusting the safety of citizens in the hands of political parties.
“CITAG considers the comments made by the President as irresponsible and to a large extent demeaning to the presidency. Article 83 of the 1992 constitution of Ghana entrust the safety and security of the citizens of Ghana into the hands of the president and not at the whims and caprices of political parties or any group of individuals. The call made by the president was discouraging and sends no slightest assurance of safety to the citizens of the Republic of Ghana that, our security is of Paramount to his government,” the group stated.
Read the statement below
“Citizens For Truth and Accountability, Ghana” (CITAG) expresses disappointment over President Akuffo Addo’s position on vigilantism in Ghana politics.
“Citizens for Truth and Accountability, Ghana” wishes to register our disappointment over comments made by the President of Ghana, His Excellency Nana Akuffo Addo over vigilantism in Ghana.
The president during the presentation of the “state of the nation address” opined that, there is the need for the two main political parties in Ghana – The New Patriotic Party(NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to dialogue over the road map to disbanding political vigilantes. He further stressed that, the setting up of the commission of enquiry, thus Justice Emile Short commission was the surest way to nipping vigilantism in the bud.
CITAG considers the comments made by the President as irresponsible and to a large extend demeaning to the presidency. Article 83 of the 1992 constitution of Ghana entrust the safety and security of the citizens of Ghana into the hands of the president and not at the whims and caprices of political parties or any group of individuals. The call made by the president was discouraging and sends no slightest assurance of safety to the citizens of the republic of Ghana that, our security is of Paramount to his government.
Activities of these so-called vigilante groups became visible and assumed a greater magnitude of terror after the 2016 elections. It is recalled that, the president in his state of the nation address in 2017 gave a strong indication that, he would ensure that these groups were immediately disbanded. Similar statement was made by the president in his 2018 state of the nation address on security. In all of these, no tangible or noticeable effort was made by the president in fulfilling the promise of disbanding these hoodlums.
Interestingly, the president made these remarks when the activities of these vigilantes were loudly heard of in his own party.
Now questions; is it the case that the president Nana Akuffo Addo saw no wisdom in disbanding these groups at the time they basically had to do with his own party? Or is it that the president underrated the main opposition party NDC in forming vigilante groups? Again, will the president disown as well the members of the vigilante groups who have been trained and equipped with weapons and equipments to operate under the guise of national security as was witnessed in the AWW by election? Can the president explain to the nation why the perpetrators of the crimes during the Ayawaso West Wuagon by election are still not apprehended despite the video evidence that we all have access to, but the shooting incident at the NDC party office at Kumasi been swiftly responded to? Mr President, is it the case that you instructed the police force to give the Kumasi case the greatest attention just to make it look more serious than people would anticipate?
These and many more are the questions that the ordinary Ghanaian want answers to!, we at CITAG are of the view that, your call was only a cheap way of equalising records of the opposition party NDC. Or Perhaps to send a message to the international community that, the opposition party NDC have no better records in political vigilantism.
In any of these instances, we want the president of Ghana to take full responsibility of security of the citizens. Though we acknowledge the role of the opposition party NDC in bringing lasting solution to political vigilantism especially as witnessed in the recent past flag bearer ship primaries, we still hold a strong view that, it is not enough achievement to deserve commendation in the fight against political vigilantism.
On this note, we want to call on the president to walk the talk on the fight against political vigilantism and not to leave it in the hands of political parties. The era of paying lips services is over and so only tangible results will be accepted. The people of Ghana deserves better under your government.
Long live Ghana!
Long live CITAG!
CITAG!….. Voice for the voiceless!
Issued;
Mathew Atanga
Communication director
0247144224
Signed;
Eben K Fenuku
National Convener
0209155476
Inusah Damba
National organizer
Rashid A. Asungtaba
Operations director
By: Kekeli Kuatsenu/awakenewsonline.com
