Vigilantism: Asiedu Nketia slams President Akufo-Addo, says he is inconsistent

The National Democratic Congress has raised concerns over the New Vigilantism Bill put before Parliament by the Attorney General, Gloria Akuffo.

According to them, they have no problem with the Bill but it should not have been raised under a Certificate of Urgency.

Speaking on Okay FM's 'Ade Akye Abia' programme, General Secretary of the party, Mr. Johnson Asiedu Nketia described the President as being very inconsistent in his fight against vigilantism.

He explains that the President said he was going to put the Bill through Parliament for a consultative discussion before it can be passed into law.

"So how do you send the Bill to Parliament through a Certificate of Urgency?" he asked.

This clearly indicates to them that the President is not committed to ending vigilantism, but he is doing something to cover his shame for the disgrace he has brought on his government in the violence that erupted during the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election.

"You have asked us to meet as political parties to find out ways that will help disband vigilante groups and then you go to Parliament to pass a Bill about this same issue within the shortest possible time without letting us or other groups know what is in the Bill that has been sent to Parliament," he said.

"And you are also asking them to pass the Bill within the shortest possible time. This shows how uncommitted you are in the fight against vigilantism."

A Vigilantism Bill has been laid before Ghana’s Parliament for consideration and approval by the House.

The Bill when passed into an Act will disband activities of vigilantism and prohibit the formation of such groups.

The Speaker of Parliament, Professor Mike Oquaye has consequently referred the Bill to the Constitution, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs committee to be considered under a certificate of urgency.

This comes after the governing New Patriotic Party and the opposition National Democratic Congress met to hold talks over the disbandment of vigilante groups affiliated to their parties.



The meeting follows a call by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for the two parties to meet and find ways to disband their vigilante groups.

Delivering his third state of the nation address in Parliament on Thursday, 21 February 2019, Nana Akufo-Addo said: “I want to make a sincere passionate appeal to the leaders of the two main political parties in our country – NPP and NDC – to come together as soon as possible, preferably next week, to agree on appropriate measures to bring an end to this worrying and unacceptable phenomenon of vigilantism in our body politic."