By Iddi Yire
Accra, July 14, GNA – Alhaji Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka, the Minister for the Interior/National Security has condemned the outbreak of violence during the July 11, Ablekuma North Parliamentary election re-run.
He further assured Ghanaians that the perpetrators of the Ablekuma North Parliamentary re-run violence would be prosecuted.
“I want to remind myself and all Ghanaians the provision of the Vigilantism and Related Offenses Act 2019, Act 999, that all of us needs to be mindful about the activities of vigilantism and I can assure you that not my Party, not any group, will we sit and allow to see the incidents of vigilantism,” Alhaji Muntaka said during the “The Government Accountability Series” press conference at the Presidency in Accra.
The “Government Accountability Series”, being organised by the Presidency Communications Bureau, is part of efforts to deepen transparency and accountability in governance.
The Minister said he had forwarded the videos on the happenings ay the Ablekuma North electoral violence to Mr. Christian Tetteh Yohuno, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), and that they had instructed him to act swiftly and bring the perpetrators to book.
“We are not going to condone whether people within our Party or outside our Party go around doing anything untoward,” he said.
“We can assure the public that we will ensure under the leadership of His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, no such group will be allowed to form,” he said further
Alhaji Muntaka said peace and security were paramount in the development of any nation.
“It is therefore our collective responsibility as Ghanaians to actively contribute our quota in ensuring that we live peacefully with each other, regardless of gender, religion, ethnic origin, or economic or social status,” he said.
Touching on the pending Akwatia Parliamentary bye-election, the Minister said: “If we can go to only 19 polling stations, this will happen. What will happen when we go to some rural places? Well, the interesting thing is that I’m sure this is also a wake-up call for our security agencies.
He reiterated that the Ablekuma North Parliamentary election re-run would give the security agencies the opportunity to even plan better towards pending Akwatia Parliamentary bye-election.
“All I can assure the people of Akwatia is that we will use Ablekuma North as a case study to review our operational plans, and how we will operate in Akwatia,” he said.
He said they would make sure that the citizens were free to cast their vote and express their will without fear or favor.
He reminded political actors such as the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) and independent of the Vigilantism Act.
He said section Six of the Act prohibits vigilantism in political party activities, which says: “A political party shall not directly or indirectly, form, organise, operate or engage; or facilitate the formation, organisation, operation or activities of a vigilante group whether belonging to that political party or any other political party”.
“A political party that contravenes subsection commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of not less than ten thousand penalty units and not more than twenty-five thousand penalty units.
The Minister said:” Where a political party convicted under subsection fails to pay the penalty imposed, the National Chairman, the General Secretary, the National Organiser and the National Treasurer of the political party are severally liable to a fine of not more than ten thousand penalty units or to a term of imprisonment of not less than ten years and not more than fifteen years.”
“So, I want to remind all of us, including myself, that if anybody organizes this, this is what awaits you,” he added, stating, “and I believe in the professionalism of the IGP Christian Tetteh Yohuno, that he is not going to spare any person. And he can have my full support.”
The Minister said, he was sure, he also had the full support of the President that he must let the law grant anybody, whether that person was a Muntaka, or that person was for NPP, or that person was from NDC, he must make sure that the person fails the full rules of the law.
He assured the nation that they would do their best and ensure that Akwatia was safer, and the Parliamentary bye-election would be more peaceful.
GNA
Edited by Benjamin Mensah