Pampering of vigilante groups threat to peace — Ramani

The Executive Director of Africa Peace Building Club, Mr Salam Ramani, has said that the pampering of vigilante groups such as Delta Force, by political parties is a threat to the country’s peace and growing democratic culture.

He said “the formation of these groups to support the cause of some political parties is a threat to our peace and democracy. This is because these are the groups who intimidate people from exercising their democratic rights.”

He warned that if such groups were not disbanded now, the country would have a problem in dealing with them after they had gained root.

Condemning the action of some members of the Delta Force, a vigilante group of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), who stormed a Kumasi Circuit Court to free its members standing trial, Mr Ramani said the action of the group was not only an affront to the rule of law but a blur on the country’s democracy.

Disrespect to President

 Mr Ramani said kicking against the appointment of a regional security coordinator in Kumasi by the Delta Force was disrespectful to the President and added that it was incumbent upon members of the group, who are mostly youth, to support such appointments.

“As much as every political party will not neglect its youth wing, the youth should also remember that their party needs more people on board to sustain its growth and win elections. They should, therefore, be ready to welcome and work with anybody appointed by the President,” he said.

Mr Ramani noted that the development of the nation required the contributions of all and not only a particular group of people, adding that party foot soldiers must also work to bring everybody on board.

In ensuring the development of the country, he said, the unity, peace and development of the country must be a priority of the youth and Ghanaians as a whole, since without peace and unity “we cannot develop the only land we are all proud of”.

“All political party youth groups must remember that the peace and security of the nation need to be protected and sustained and not to be joked with. It is only the President that has the powers vested in him by the constitution to appoint ministers, deputy ministers and other government appointees,” he said.

Mr Ramani noted that the recent attack on the Ashanti Regional Security Coordinator in Kumasi was the most recent of such unlawful acts of vigilante groups, adding that “this is an act of disrespect to the constitution and the President of Ghana who appointed a member of the party to that position.