The Chairman of the National Peace Council, Reverend Emmanuel Asante, has asked Ghanaians to question the police rather than blame the Akufo-Addo government for the hooliganism by some pro-New Patriotic Party youth groups.
Since the NPP government came to office in January 2017, reports on the activities of vigilante groups across the country have persisted throughout the year.
[contextly_sidebar id=”mYDGZvrna9i8PqgB8F88PI0z4LfEjQhJ”]In light of some of these incidents, President Nana Akufo-Addo charged the police to deal with the matter.
The Minister of Interior, Ambrose Dery, also gave similar instructions, that the culprits of some of these incidents in areas like Gwollu as well as Karaga and any other group planning something of that sort must be dealt with.
Many Ghanaians have attributed the action of these youth to the fact that they were promised things that have not been handed to them yet, so they are taking the law into their hands.
Speaking to Citi News after a public lecture on vigilantism at the GIMPA law faculty, the Reverend noted that, “just because you are affiliated to a political party shouldn’t put one above the law.”
Beyond this, he said the President and the Minister of Interior did not need to charge the police to do their work, thus he should not be viewed as the figure holding them back.
“We really don’t need the President to give instruction to the police to crack the whip when people are breaking the laws of the land; that is their mandate, you do not even need the Minister of Interior to charge the police that act this way, because that is what they are there for. So I am raising the question, what is holding them back? I don’t have the answer, the police must tell us,” he said.
Rev. Asante also called on Ghanaians to hold the police to account since they have the mandate to ensure public peace.
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By: Farida Yusif/Citifmonline.com/Ghana