Vigilante groups: NPP writes to NDC over dialogue
The Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Otokunor

Vigilante groups: NPP writes to NDC over dialogue

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has confirmed the receipt of a letter from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) advocating for a dialogue over disbanding vigilante groups affiliated to both parties.

The Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Boamah Otokunor said although the party received the letter yesterday, the details show that the NPP is not committed to the process to disband vigilante groups.

"...We have taken receipt of the letter yesterday around 4 pm and we have discussed it preliminary and we are going to take a decision later by close of today," Mr Otokunor said in an interview with Joy FM.

"But clearly, if you see what is in the letter the NPP, still are unable to show the kind of commitment that the people of Ghana are expecting from them in respect of this matter".

He said the bad faith exhibited by the NPP in their letter would hinder the dialogue. Mr Otokunor said the NPP failed to state the venue, time or participants for the specific meeting.

However, the General Secretary of the NPP, John Boadu said the governing party felt it would have been wrong to have chosen the location for the dialogue without consultation.

Read the entire NPP letter below;

Background

It will be recalled that President Akufo-Addo in his third State Of the Nation Address on February 21 directed the two parties to meet within a week of his speech and dialogue on disbanding party militia. He added that if the dialogue fails he would initiate legislation on the matter.

After almost a week of not hearing from the NPP, the Chairman of the NDC, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo wrote to the President.

In his letter, Ofosu Ampofo suggested that other political parties, civil society and the media should be invited to join the dialogue.

In a response which the NDC later described as “surprising,” President Akufo-Addo said he saw no basis for the request giving that the suggested groups do not have any “vigilante” groups.

The President has since directed the Attorney-General to draft a bill to tackle the menace of political vigilantism.

The directive to the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice Gloria Akuffo came 21 days after his State of the Nation’s Address to parliament.

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