Political violence will stop if perpetrators are punished - Nana Ato Dadzie

Former Chief of Staff of the republic of Ghana, Nana Ato Dadzie, has said until perpetrators of political violence are punished for their crimes, there will be no end to the phenomenon.

Speaking in an interview with Rev Dr Kwabena Opuni Frimpong on GTV’s ‘What is Next?’, the lawyer noted that there is the need to recognise the act as violence and not justify it as that doesn’t help.

“We should never encourage political violence. Violence must be treated plain; we shouldn’t have to treat political violence with kids gloves because it will come to swallow all of us including those who created it”

He added that the support of politicians gives perpetrators of political violence the impunity to keep up with the act.

“If any person, NDC, NPP, CPP commits a crime of any kind and you don’t look at it as political violence and that must not be touched and you put him through the law, others will stop,” he said.

Nana Ato Dadzie added that “it is being driven by people who want to achieve and sustain power. There will be no political hooligans around if they are not fueled by resources and what nots. Some party members also take it upon themselves to create this kind of groups with the purpose to gain more leverage within their own political parties.

He further mentioned that the inability to end political violence “is also a reflection on the fact that we are by that saying that we have weak or less than strong institutions.”