Legislation to ban vigilantism good but dialogue still needed – Otukunor

General News of Friday, 15 March 2019

Source: citinewsroom.com

2019-03-15

A Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress, Peter Boamah Otukunor, is worried there will not be enough consultation on the bid to end political vigilantism.

This is after President Nana Akufo-Addo served notice that legislation to disband all political vigilante groups will be laid in Parliament.

Whilst welcoming the move, Mr. Otukunor told Citi News “maybe this approach will be a rather delayed one.”

“So if we can hold one conference and get all these stakeholders on board and discuss this matter thoroughly and come up with lasting solutions which may form a strong foundation for legislative work, I think that one would have been a stronger way and a smarter way to deal with this matter.”

Mr. Otukunor also called on the president to “come very clear” on the matter of possible consultations.

Director of Communications at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin clarified that the decision by the President to trigger the legislation does not suggest that the president has given up hopes of an expected meeting between the NDC and NPP on the matter.

But Mr. Otukunor feels the President is being stubborn in the matter after he previously rebuffed the NDC request for a third party mediator in any possible talks.

“I don’t know why the president is remaining recalcitrant in his position on this engagement and I think that the earlier he considers that the better.”

The National Peace Council, for example, has expressed readiness to assist the two main political parties in any possible talks.

But President Akufo-Addo, in an earlier response to the NDC said he saw “little basis” for some of the opposition party’s requests.

Meanwhile, the New Patriotic Party, which is also a major stakeholder in this discussion, believes the President’s directive for legislation is in order.

The National Communications Director of the NPP, Yaw Buabeng Asamoah said this “will reinforce whatever he is persuading the party to do.”

“I think that it is a very important step. The party should be advised and the party should take it on board that it better clean up internally because the big stick will be there.”