Political vigilantism threat to national security – Former BNI boss

Security expert and former Director of the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), Kofi Bentum Quanson, has underscored the need for political vigilantism to be tackled “boldly and sincerely”, noting the phenomenon poses a national security threat.

As a security capo who was the first to head the BNI, he said a proper understanding of vigilantism must precede the fight of the menace.

Chairing a forum on political vigilantism organized by Media General and Star-Ghana, Mr. Quanson observed political vigilantism was becoming a national security threat.

“The nation is confronted with a tragic problem of vigilantism which constitutes a persistent threat to National Security. This has to be addressed boldly and sincerely”, he said.

“There has to be a thorough understanding of vigilantism before any headway can be made in the fight against the menace”, he added.

The forum, dubbed: Finding Pragmatic Solutions to Violent Vigilantism in Ghanaian Politics attracted a wide range of stakeholders including political parties, the peace council, the Ghana Armed Forces, Civil society and private individuals who proffered solutions to the menace.

Even though the contributions at the forum were varying in their approach to fighting political vigilantism, there was a census that an end is brought to the act, which many have described illegal.

Director of Communication for the National Democratic Congress, Kakra Essamuah, in his contribution noted that enacting new laws will not be the solution to vigilantism.

He disagreed with suggestions that the security service must be independent to do their work effectively.

“They [security services] ought not to be given independence of action, they must be controlled by politicians who have the votes and mandate of all of you”, he said.

But the Executive Director of the Consumer Protection Agency (CPA), Kofi Kapito, thinks otherwise. He believes politicians are to blame for the problem, hence it will take them to solve it.