Vigilante groups not consistent with democracy — Gavin Cook
The Deputy Head of Mission of the British High Commission, Mr Gavin Cook, has opined that the involvement of vigilante groups in political party activity is inconsistent with modern democratic governance since most of them play destabilising roles.
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He has, therefore, kicked against the use of vigilante groups by politicians to cause mayhem in the country during the forthcoming general election.
Citing Mali, Somalia, Nigeria among others as countries that have fallen victim to the operations of these groups, he said “I do not think maintaining party vigilante is compatible with 21st century electoral democracy. It is, in fact, potentially dangerous and threatens the very existence of peace in Ghana”.
Activities of vigilante groups such as the Azorka Boys and Bolga Bulldogs led to aggressive clashes during a bye-election at Talensi in the Upper East Region in July, 2015.
Various interest groups have expressed concern about the existence of such vigilante groups, particularly their tendency to engage in electoral violence.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic in Accra last Monday, Mr Cook called for a nationwide disband of all political vigilante groups, which, he said, may threaten a peaceful 2016 general election.
Police should handle security issues
He said the security of the citizens should be handled by the police and other state security institutions and not by any informal body.
“Parties have a lot of support which they would use to encourage activism in the election, but [for] vigilante groups to assume security roles or potentially disturbance roles should not be encouraged,” he emphasised.
In addition, he stressed that the maintenance of peace in the country was the exclusive job of the police and urged all political parties to disown and disband any group of vigilante associated with them.
Mr Cook also called for a free, fair, credibly and transparent general election to ensure the peace of the nation.
