After months of dialogue under the guidance of the National Peace Council (NPC) a Draft Roadmap on political vigilantism, is ready for endorsement and adoption.
The Draft Roadmap and Code of Conduct on political vigilantism were crafted by a technical committee as part of steps towards tackling political vigilantism in the country.
The political vigilantism dialogue was instituted by the NPC following the events that unfolded at the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency bye-election and after President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, signed the Vigilantism and Related Offences Act 2019, which bans vigilantism activities in the country.
The act also disbands vigilante groups including political party vigilante groups and land guards.
So, as part of ongoing dialogue aimed at ending the menace, stakeholders, including the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) as well as the Police Service, Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG), Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, and many others put together the document that is to be endorsed and adopted by the two dominant political parties in the country.
Speaking at the commencement of the dialogue, last week, the chairman of the NPC, Professor Emmanuel Asante, explained that the document would assist existing legislations and other frameworks on ending the menace.
“It is, therefore, the wish of the National Peace Council and our partners that the two major parties will complete the process as they have already done in the passage of the Vigilantism and Related Offences Act.
“We are making history and it is my prayer that our children and children’s children will live to bless our days, especially you leaders for standing firm and making choices that will secure for them and their generation the democracy, peace and security of their days,” he said.
Going by the comments made by the chairman of the NPC, it would appear that a lot of progress has been made and the two political parties are on the verge of committing to ending the menace.
But the hiccup that occurred last week when the NDC failed to attend the last dialogue meeting to continue with the process must be of concern to all peace loving Ghanaians.
Although the NDC explained their absence at the session was due to circumstances beyond their control, many view their action differently.
The Ghanaian Times is not taking sides in the matter but wish to appeal to all sides in this matter to take the dialogue seriously and ensure that the purpose is achieved.
If there are issues for which reason any party cannot accept certain decisions, those issues must be discussed openly and frankly so that the process is moved forward.
The Roadmap and Code of Conduct on political vigilantism is a very important document that all the stakeholders must endorse before the process can move forward.
We, therefore, appeal to all parties involved in that critical process to endorse and adopt the Draft Roadmap in the supreme interest of mother Ghana.
We all agree that vigilantism is a threat to national security and having outlawed it, we expect that we all would cooperate to stop its existence in Ghana.
We owe it as a duty to ourselves and future generations to protect the democracy, peace and security of the country.
