Security agencies will stop political vigilante groups — Kan-Dapaah
The Minister for National Security, Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah, has described the activities of political vigilante groups as criminal and affirmed the resolve of the security agencies to confront the groups and stop their activities.
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He told Parliament yesterday that the groups had the tendency to degenerate into militant groups whose activities could have serious repercussions for the security of the country.
He cautioned that any member of political vigilante groups arrested would be dealt with in accordance with the laws of the country, irrespective of their political affiliations.
Mr Kan-Dapaah was answering questions posed by the Minority Chief Whip and Member of Parliament (MP) for Asewase, Alhaji Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka, on when all political vigilante groups would be disbanded.
There were other questions from other MPs.
No registered action groups
Some youth affiliated to political parties have engaged in the seizure of government institutions and the harassment of government officials after a change in government in the country.
The recent disturbances following the victory of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the December 7, 2017 elections are said to be caused by the Delta Force and the Invincible Forces.
However, Mr Kan-Dapaah said there was no such group as the Delta Force or the Invincible Forces.
Rather, he said, "some people have constituted themselves into action groups and are undertaking certain actions that are against the laws of Ghana".
The minister said it was about time the country dealt with all such action groups and indicated that the security agencies "are working to ensure that these persons do not escape sanctions, as stated in the Constitution”.
"The law enforcement agencies are doing everything to ensure that those who were involved in the recent incidents in Kumasi will be dealt with appropriately and in accordance with the laws of this country," he said.
Don't politicise crime
Mr Kan-Dapaah stressed the need for the criminal activities of the action groups not to be mixed with politics.
He asked political leaders to be pragmatic and accept that some members of the two political parties — the NPP and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) — had been known to constitute themselves into action groups to molest and unleash violence on peace-loving people of the country either from within or outside their political parties.
"We must not mix criminality with politics. Lawlessness must be punished as demanded by the laws of the country. The government has made its position clear by asking the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to deal with all criminals, irrespective of their political affiliations," he said.
Collaborative effort
Mr Kan-Dapaah said the activities of the action groups had been with the country for some time and indicated that he had always been disturbed by their activities.
Therefore, he said, the impression should not be given that this was the first time the country had to deal with something to do with militant groups.
He stressed the need for Parliament to impress on political parties to collaborate to discourage the activities of action groups.
"We must resolve, as a House, to urge all political leaders in the country to come together to deliberate on measures to discourage the establishment of and recognition of such groups in political structures in the interest of national security," he said.