Delta Force attack undermined rule of law - Rev. Emmanuel Asante

Thursday’s attack on a Kumasi Circuit Court by members of vigilante group Delta Force was a slap in the face of rule of law and democracy in Ghana, Rev Prof Emmanuel Asante, Chair of the National Peace Council, has said.

“This action is taking us back,” he told Chief Jerry Forson, host of Ghana Yensom on Accra100.5FM.

“In the short term, I will suggest the political parties disband these groups immediately due to the danger they pose to the general public. They can even be used by some people to foment trouble. When you go to Somalia, this is how some of the wars started. The warlords used groups like these.

“In the long term, we will need to find ways of giving police security of tenure. We need to have a constitutional provision that will provide security of tenure for the police. By so doing, they will feel empowered to fight against some of these things without fear of being removed or being transferred.”

Meanwhile, ex-Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Rev Prof Emmanuel Martey, has cautioned President Nana Akufo-Addo not to take Ghana backwards, saying: “Ghanaians are watching.”

Condemning the mayhem perpetrated by pro-government groups like Delta Force and Invincible Forces, Prof Martey said their action is a “national shame”.

Right after Nana Akufo-Addo was sworn into office in January, the Invincible Forces went on the rampage and seized some state institutions and also sacked perceived opposition elements.

The Delta Force in Kumasi also harassed the President’s regional security appointee and also stormed a court to free 13 of their colleagues who were standing trial for the assault.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony at the Christ Apostolic College in Kumasi at the weekend, Prof Martey said: “The methods of the pro-violent vigilante groups like the Invincible Forces, Delta Force, Bolga Bull Dogs, Western Crocodiles, and all the rest with their unorthodox modus operandi have doubtlessly been a severe dent on the democratic credentials of our country and the earlier the government puts a halt to this national shame and puts damage control strategies in place, the better for our young democracy.”

He said even though the Akufo-Addo government is less than 100 days old, Ghanaians were nonetheless watching its every move.

“Minimise your mistakes, violence is violence no matter who commits it, violence is violence no matter who perpetuates it, and must be condemned in no uncertain terms. Ghana must not be taken years or decades back, we must move rather forward into freedom and justice, progress and development in order to bring into fruition the vision of our political forebears,” Rev Martey said.