Failure to meet over vigilantism shocking -PPP tells NDC, NPP

The Progressive People’s Party (PPP) has expressed disappointment at the leadership of the two main political parties — the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) — over their failure to come together and find lasting solutions to the political violence that has plagued the country’s democracy.

The party stated that it was shocked that since the call was made for the two parties to come together to address the issue of political vigilantism, the leadership of the two parties had done nothing except engaging in exchanges that had brought no results.

“In the recent exchange of open letters between the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and Chairman of the NDC, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, on a proposed meeting between their two parties to settle the crimes of organised political violence, the PPP has noticed with disappointment the boastful posture of the NDC and NPP over our fragile democracy,” a statement issued by the PPP stated.

The statement was signed by the party’s National Chairman, Nii Allotey Brew-Hammond.

Background

At a recent State of the Nation Address, President Akufo-Addo made a call to the leadership of the NPP and the NDC to agree on appropriate measures to bring an end to the unacceptable and worrying trend of party vigilantism in the country.

The call followed violent acts that took place during the by-election at Ayawaso West Wuogon.

After the call was made, Mr Ofosu-Ampofo, in a letter, stated that the NDC was “aware that the Commission [of Enquiry tasked to probe the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election violence] established clearly that elements of the vigilante groups apparently sponsored by your party have already been absorbed into the national security system”.

Responding to the NDC’s letter, President Akufo-Addo said in a letter dated March 4, 2019, that the assertion by the opposition party was not true.

“Firstly, contrary to your assertion, no evidence has been established at the ongoing Short Commission about the sponsorship by the New Patriotic Party of vigilantes into the national security system. No such sponsorship has taken place, and none will take place.

 In any event, it is surely prejudicial to the work of the commission for citizens to start drawing conclusions on the material before the commission, prior to the commission making its own findings and recommendations on the matter,” President Akufo-Addo noted.

Wasted years

However, according to the statement by the PPP, Ghanaians were still shocked that after 26-year rule of the NPP and the NDC, the two parties had done nothing to better the well-being of the citizens.

 “We wish to place it on record that, as far as the PPP and the silent majority of Ghanaians are concerned, the 26 years of dominance of the NDC and NPP in our politics, has turned out to be wasted years and wasted votes cast to give them the mandate to govern Ghana.

 We believe sincerely with all our hearts that the patient and long- suffering Ghanaians would  rise up again and show the duopoly ‘we no go sit down make you cheat us every day’,” the statement added.