CPP calls on government to engage vigilante groups in the fight against “galamsey”

The Convention People’s Party (CPP) has called on the government to engage the various political party vigilante groups in the national fight against illegal mining.

They said government could work out modalities and bring the identified vigilante groups under one umbrella and motivate them to support the fight against illegal mining and lumbering.

Mr Ali Dayindey, the Brong-Ahafo Regional Communication Director of the CPP, made the call during a stakeholder’s engagement on the “menace of political party vigilantism and Ghana’s electoral politics”, held at Abesim near Sunyani.

It was organised by the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) with support from the USAID and attended by security agencies, civil society organisations, and representatives of the various political parties, media, Ghana Bar Association, clergy and Muslim communities.

Mr Dayindey said political party vigilante groups have become so daring seeking to undermine security institutions, and underlined the need for the nation to take advantage of them and tap their energies for useful purposes.

He said the vigilante groups have become part of the society and it would be difficult to disband them hence the need to engage them so that they can also contribute meaningfully to national progress.

Mr Mustapha Abdallah, a Research Associate at the Faculty of Academic Affairs and Research of the Kofi Annan International Peace Training Center (KAIPTC), said it is important to de-emphasised politics from the operations of security agencies.

He said the activities of the vigilante groups did not only threatened national security, but also exposed the country to international ridicule and undermined the image of the nation’s highly applauded democracy.

Ambassador Francis Tsegah, a former diplomat and Senior Fellow at the CODEO secretariat, urged all stakeholders to support in arresting the growing menace of vigilantism in the country.

CODEO is a non-partisan network of civil society groups, faith based organsations and professional bodies.