Accra, Aug 04, GNA – The Peace National Council, (NPC) in pursuit of its mandate, has called on the security agencies, particularly the Police, to enforce the laws without fear or favour.
Maulvi Mohammed Bin Salih, a Board Member of NPC, said following the signing of the Roadmap and the Code of Conduct on Political Vigilantism by the two main political parties – the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the Peace Council would engage with the Police to assert its authority in addressing the issue of political vigilantism.
He called for calm in all the troubled spots of the ongoing Voters Registration exercise, particularly, Banda Ahenkro.
“Let all the parties resolve disagreements through laid down regulations and avoid acts of intimidation and violence,” Maulvi Bin Salih stated at the inauguration of the National Monitoring Committee for the Implementation of the Code of Conduct and Roadmap on Political Vigilantism, in Accra.
Maulvi Bin Salih said events in recent political history of the nation brought their attention to the disturbing phenomenon of politically motivated vigilantism activities, which had unfortunately left sad memories and scars on the minds of some Ghanaians.
He said it was, therefore, welcoming news, when the NPP and the NDC reached a consensus to address the issue of violent vigilante activities.
He said in findings ways of addressing the issue of political vigilantism, the two parties and key stakeholders, such as the Police Service, the Electoral Commission, the Ghana Pentecostal Council, the Catholic Bishops Conference, the Office of the National Chief Imam and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) had given their unwavering support to the NPC and facilitated dialogue sessions to reach consensus on the modalities with the vigilantism malaise.
“The Code of Conduct, which is one of the deliverables of the Roadmap, envisages a monitoring mechanism by the Peace Council to ensure effective compliance by all stakeholders, particularly, the political parties,” he said.
“Taken cognizance of the current happenings in some of the Electoral Commission’s centres for the registration of voters, and the claims making rounds to the effect that some groups have emerged and doing the activities outlawed by the Vigilante and Related Offences Act and what the two main political parties have pledged not to do, it is significant that we set up a monitoring team to ensure compliance of the Code of Conduct.”
