Disband vigilante groups - Deputy Attorney General nominee

The Deputy Minister of Justice and Attorney General-designate, Joseph Dinkiok Kpemka, has called for the immediate disbandment of all vigilante groups in the country.

Answering a question by North Tongu MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa regarding the activities of vigilante groups in Ghana during his vetting by the Appointments Committee of Parliament on Wednesday, 29 March, he said: “I don’t know of any organised group of people into vigilantism or serving as a militia, which will be in contrast to the provision of this state.”

“What I will say is if they exist, any such vigilante groups, ought to, without delay, be disbanded. That is my position.”

Meanwhile, a leading member of the National Democratic Congress, Osahene Kwadwo Boakye-Djan has threatened to head to court to seek the disbandment of such groups in the country.

Although the constitution speaks against the formation of private armies in the country, these groups, which include, among others, Action Troopers, Invincible Forces, Kandahar Boys, Azorka Boys, have gradually become an entrenched presence in the country’s politics, policing party officials and seizing public facilities and offices in the name of securing such installations.

The latest of these actions was taken by members of the Delta Force on Friday 24 March when they stormed the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council to stop Mr George Agyei, who has been appointed as the regional security coordinator, from performing his duties.

According to them, they cannot work with Mr Agyei since he did not play an active role in the 2016 campaign that brought the NPP into power.

Contributing to the discussion on the Executive Breakfast Show (EBS) on Class91.3FM on Monday 27 March, Major Boakye-Djan (rtd) was surprised members of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) would encourage vigilante groups when it was against the constitution.

“The constitution, for instance, prevents anybody from setting up a private force in this country…and I’m surprised that a party of lawyers – the aggregate of lawyers in NPP is greater than all the others put together – will allow private armies to be set up when the constituency is very express on that. I will be talking to my national executives to seek permission to take the case to court that nobody or group of people must be allowed to set up a private force or army in this country. It’s not allowed,” he told show host Moro Awudu.