Vigilante group members must be given jobs - Kweku Baako

Government has been asked to find ways of reintegrating members of the various vigilante groups once they are disbanded.

“While you take them out, you must ensure they have some job to do,” the Managing Editor of the New Crusading Guide newspaper, Kweku Baako Jnr said.

The renowned journalist was speaking about the much-awaited meeting between the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) spearheaded by the National Peace Council; as requested by President Akufo-Addo.

The President called for this meeting for the two political parties to find ways of disbanding vigilante groups affiliated to them.

The parties after the first meeting emphasized on the need to stop the activities of political vigilante groups in the country.

The General Secretary of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, however, expressed disappointment at the outcome of the meeting.

According to him, his expectations were not met because the two political parties could not agree on the scope of discussions as far as vigilantism is concerned

Kweku baako who was contributing to a panel discussion on Peace FM's morning show ‘Kokrokoo’ programme, feels if discussions between the two political parties “turns into a political football, it will create problems.”

He does not have any problem with the NDC requesting other groups to join the discussions; however, he said if care is not taken, ‘it will turn into a forum’.

“It is not mutually exclusive . . . we all know it is the two parties . . . if they (NDC) say others should join, I won’t really fight against that but if care is not taken, it will turn into a forum. If we want to directly dissolve these groups, it should be done in a dispassionate way,” he added.