We insist on Peace Council as mediators; NPP cannot be trusted - NDC

Deputy General Secretary of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Boamah Otokunor, has disclosed on Frontline on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm that, the party’s insistent request for the Peace Council to mediate the meeting between them and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is due to mistrust.

In an interview with Kwabena Agyapong Friday, he indicated that the NDC will be glad and avail itself even today [Friday] should the Peace Council be made to mediate the meeting over the decision to disband vigilante groups.

The deputy scribe of the NDC said, the NDC cannot trust the NPP because the party has exhibited traits that make it difficult for them to be trusted over the years.

The NDC in reacting to a letter it received from the NPP on the need for the two parties to meet as directed by the president asked the National Peace Council to select a venue for the dialogue between them and the NPP on how to disband their vigilante groups.

A response signed by General Secretary of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketia said “we are gratified that you have, in agreement with our view, confirmed our position that this discussion has to be a multi-stakeholder engagement.

“In furtherance to this, we have taken the liberty to request the National Peace Council to kindly exercise its statutory mandate and assume the role of Mediator in the deliberations on the above subject…we hold ourselves ready to meet you at any venue and date the National Peace Council may propose.”

Mr Otokunor in reaction commended the NPP but insisted they have to allow the Peace Council to mediate the meeting in order to ensure trust.

‘’We are ready and should the Peace Council invite us, we will go. Even if they should invite us today, we will go because the Peace Council is there to moderate the meeting and particularly because we don’t trust the NPP. That is why we cannot hold a meeting with them without any moderator… because over the years, they have shown that, they cannot be trusted,’’ he reiterated.

Meanwhile, he has appealed to President Akufo-Addo, to issue an executive order to disband all existing vigilante groups associated with all the political parties.