Develop strategies to deal with vigilante groups - CODEO urges political parties
Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) has called on the intelligence unit of the security services in the Brong Ahafo Region to develop strategies to deal with political party vigilante groups.
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According to CODEO, the Brong Ahafo Region is leading in the manifestations of political party vigilante groups in the country, explaining that the situation posed a serious threat to the peace and security in the region.
The election observer group expressed concern about the existence of illegal political vigilante groups mostly organised by influential individuals within the political parties which were based in almost all the major communities of the region.
Activities of these groups are suspected to be sponsored by some political parties; these have led to deaths and maiming of some people in the region.
The Advisory Board Member of the CODEO, Mr Nicholas Akyire, who made these observations, was speaking to the media after round-table discussions (RTDs) on “The menace of political party vigilantism” at Abesim near Sunyani.
CODEO round-table discussions
The Brong Ahafo Region became the ninth region to benefit from CODEO RTDs, which seek to collect views from regional level stakeholders on the phenomenon to enable it to develop comprehensive policies for stakeholders to implement in order to deal with the country’s political party vigilantism.
“The level of violence that characterised the activities of party vigilante groups during each phase of the electoral cycle had increased since 2000.
“The manifestations of the political party vigilante groups which have continued from transition and into the governing periods are posing a serious threat to the country’s peace and security,” CODEO noted.
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Mr Akyire, therefore, called on stakeholders such as political parties, security agencies as well as the public to help address the growing menace in the region and the nation at large.
He consequently called on Ghanaians to work together to support the crusade against political party vigilantism in the electoral politics.
Mr Akyire appealed to the media to make the subject critical for public discussion and urged the practitioners not to allow the matter to disappear from public discussions until it was eradicated.
He also challenged the media to name and shame politicians who form, fund and solicit for the services of vigilante groups in the country.
Mr Akyire expressed worry that there were no laid down mechanisms by the political parties to regulate activities of the vigilante groups but allowed them to be controlled by influential individuals within the parties.
He called on the security agencies to resist all attempts by politicians to interfere in the recruitments, promotions and transfers of their personnel to enable them to enforce laws without fear or favour.
Cause of the formation
Mr Akyire mentioned mistrust and suspicion of activities of the police and Electoral Commission (EC) as a major cause of the formation of vigilante groups by the political parties to protect their interests during elections.
He also mentioned unachievable promises by political party leaders, winner-takes-all syndrome, unemployment, so much political interference in the work of the security agencies with regard to recruitment, promotions and transfers of security personnel as some of the causes of the formation of the political vigilante groups.