{"id":310631,"date":"2017-04-14T08:43:25","date_gmt":"2017-04-14T08:43:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=310631"},"modified":"2017-04-14T08:43:25","modified_gmt":"2017-04-14T08:43:25","slug":"ensure-igps-independence-to-deal-with-vigilante-groups-codeo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2017\/04\/ensure-igps-independence-to-deal-with-vigilante-groups-codeo\/","title":{"rendered":"Ensure IGP’s independence to deal with vigilante groups – CODEO"},"content":{"rendered":"

The\u00a0 Coalition of Domestic Election observers (CODEO), has called\u00a0for more commitment towards ensuring that the Inspector General of Police (IGP), works without political influence.<\/p>\n

According to the observer group, ensuring the independence of the office of the senior most police officer in the land, would enable the security service deal effectively with political vigilante groups.<\/p>\n

[contextly_sidebar id=”CHZg0c6c541141D6Pih65fN2jxhWYF9s”]Following the election of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government, there has been an upsurge in the activities of the party’s vigilante groups including the Delta Forces and the Invincible Forces, culminating in the storming of a court by the former in Kumasi.<\/p>\n

The previous National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration was also accused of empowering vigilante groups that were affiliated with the party.<\/p>\n

But following a lessons-learned from the 2016 elections workshop held by\u00a0CODEO, with support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the group called on the police to clamp down on these groups.<\/p>\n

“The existence of political vigilante groups is illegal and the Ghana Police Service should ban and disband these groups immediately as a matter of national security,” the satement from CODEO said.<\/p>\n

“The leadership of the NPP and the NDC who are largely responsible for the emergence of these groups in the 4th<\/sup> Republic should own up to their responsibilities and work together with the police to disband all politically affiliated vigilante groups.<\/p>\n

“In the medium to long-term, there should be concerted effort among key election stakeholders to make the Inspector General of Police \u00a0independent by insulating him\/her from political interference by securing his\/her tenure across regimes and ensuring such appointments are transparent and consultative.”<\/p>\n

CODEO also commended the Electoral Commission (EC) and other stakeholders for the conduct of last year’s successful general elections, citing the increased access for the media, accessibility for Persons With Disabilities (PWDs), the role of the Judiciary in dealing with election-related cases and “close collaboration amongst domestic election observation groups.”<\/p>\n

Below is the full statement from CODEO:<\/p>\n

COMMUNIQUE ISSUED BY PARTICIPANTS AT THE COALITION OF DOMESTIC ELECTION OBSERVERS\u2019 (CODEO) STAKEHOLDER REVIEW WORKSHOP ON GHANA\u2019S 2016 PRESIDENTIAL AND GENERAL ELECTIONS AT AQUA SAFARI RESORT IN ADA, GREATER ACCRA REGION ON MARCH 27-29, 2017<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Coalition of Domestic Election observers (CODEO), with support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), held a lessons-learned workshop from<\/p>\n

March 27 to 29, 2017 at the Aqua Safari Resort in Ada in the Greater Accra Region to assess the conduct of the 2016 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections. The workshop brought together a diverse group of election stakeholders to a single platform to take stock of the conduct of the 2016 Presidential and General elections and draw valuable lessons for improving the conduct of future elections.<\/p>\n

Participants deliberated, among others, on the following topics:<\/p>\n