Vigilantism law will not work – Security Expert

Adam Bonaa, a security expert has cast doubts on the effectiveness of the Vigilantism law to deal with the menace in the country.

The law which was passed in 2019 to deal with political vigilante groups and clamp down on acts of vigilantism in the country came on the back of the violence that rocked the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election.

Speaking in a Joy News interview, Adam Bonaa proffered reasons as to why he believes the law will not address the problem for which it was put together.

“This Vigilante Law will not work because the guys who are supposed to be the various District, Regional, and Municipal Security Council Chairmen are the appointees of the President.

“These guys represent the government at the local level,” he said.

The issue of vigilantism came during the vetting of the Minister-designate for Interior who assured that government has the situation under control.

Adam Bonaa however has a different opinion. According to him the problem still persists in the country.

“What probably the minister may be referring to is what we refer to as the inter-party vigilantism, now (it) has been replaced with intra-party vigilantism,” Mr Bonaa insisted.

The Security Warehouse CEO observed; “you still have a lot of rivalry between the two political parties [NPP and NDC] where if it’s the turn of the NDC and they don’t like you within the party, they beat you up and no one is there to arrest you.”

“Even if you are arrested, the next day you are let go,” he added.

He made mention of an incident that pre-dated the 2020 elections where a DCE went with some thugs to assault a police officer. “And so I would say that yes, the Minister of the Interior would be right if he says it’s come down, and maybe he is basing his facts on inter-party not intra-party,” he stressed.