News:
March 16, 2019
The President Nana Akufo-Addo has directed the Attorney General and Minister of Justice Gloria Akuffo to draft specific legislation to be sent to the legislature, to deal with party militia.
In this second response to a second letter written to him by the National Chairman of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, concerning the proposal he made during his third state of the nation address that the two main parties NPP and NDC meet to fashion out a way of disbanding militia groups affiliated to them, the President said, “Firstly, I note that you have quite properly given a copy of it (second letter) to the chairperson of the New Patriotic Party Freddie Blay. I have asked him to respond to its content, since he is the rightful person to speak directly for the NPP and I expect that he will do so promptly”.
“Secondly, since the constitutional responsibility of maintaining law and order in our country is that of the Executive, the President of the Republic, I have in line with my pronouncement to Parliament during the message of the state of the nation address on 21st February 2019, instructed the AG, without prejudice to the outcome of the engagement, if any, between the NDC and NPP to prepare and submit to Parliament as soon as possible, specific legislation to deal with the phenomenon of vigilantism, and provide appropriate sanctions against occurrence.
I believe that the parliamentary process of enactment affords sufficient space for any citizen to make an input or contribution to the enactment of a good and effective law, whose implementation will enable us rid our nation of politically-related violence, a development that can only inure to the benefit of Ghanaian democracy and to the preservation of law and order”.
“The president also expressed gratitude to the NDC Chairman for the expression of commitment to ending the vigilante phenomenon in Ghana.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com