Participants at a day\u2019s public forum in Tamale which focused on the need to disband political parties\u2019 vigilante groups have called for a national security summit to deliberate on the human security threat.<\/p>\n
They have also advocated the establishment of an independent appointing authority to take charge of appointing the nation\u2019s security heads.<\/p>\n
The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) organized a day\u2019s round table engagement meeting held in Tamale on \u201cthe menace of political party vigilantism and Ghana\u2019s electoral politics.\u201d<\/p>\n
Below is a communique issued at the end of the forum and copied citifmonline.com.<\/p>\n
THE MENACE OF POLITICAL PARTY VIGILANTISM IN GHANA<\/p>\n
REFLECTIONS FROM ROUNTABLE DISCUSSIONS HELD IN TAMALE, NORTHERN REGION<\/p>\n
Media Briefing addressed jointly by Sheikh Arimiyawo Shaibu, a CODEO Advisory Board Member and Mr. Albert Kofi Arhin, CODEO National Coordinator held on Wednesday, July 12, 2017 at Nim Avenue Hotel, Tamale, Northern Region<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong>Introduction<\/strong><\/p>\n On behalf of the Advisory Board of the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO), I welcome you to this media briefing about political party vigilantism in Ghana. We are grateful to you for honouring our invitation.<\/p>\n Background<\/strong><\/p>\n [contextly_sidebar id=”YTCwUQFJ978AFunhcklfC4FY7HlqYBku”]As you may be aware, the phenomenon of political party vigilante groups and their activities have gradually found its way onto the centre stage of Ghana\u2019s electoral politics, particularly under the Fourth Republic. Over the years, the level of violence that has characterized the activities of party vigilante groups during each phase of the electoral cycle has increased, especially since the 2000s. The 2016 Presidential and General Elections of Members of Parliament were without exception. The immediate post-election phase also witnessed some incidents around the political transition, nearly marring the almost smooth process. Unfortunately, the manifestations of political party vigilante groups have continued from the transition and into the governing period.<\/p>\n At its post-election national stakeholder workshop, held at Aqua Safari Resort in Ada in the Greater Accra region from March 27-29, 2017, the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) made this subject of political vigilantism one of the pressing post-election issues for discussion and deliberation. This was in recognition of the danger that political party vigilante groups pose to the country\u2019s electoral politics and democratic development.<\/p>\n CODEO\u2019s stance on political party vigilantism<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong>In a communiqu\u00e9 issued on April 6, 2017 in Accra after the post-election stakeholders review meeting, CODEO condemned this growing feature of the country\u2019s electoral politics. CODEO further called on political parties to disband these affiliated groups. It urged other stakeholders, particularly the security agencies, to address this growing menace. Specifically, CODEO stated that,<\/p>\n Going forward<\/strong><\/p>\n In order to sustain the conversation on ridding the country\u2019s political space of party vigilantes and their activities and to prevent the matter from being overshadowed by other governance developments, CODEO is embarking on a nationwide public engagement through Regional Roundtable Discussions on this growing phenomenon. This series of public engagement, made possible with the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) seeks to create awareness of this phenomenon, and thereby contribute to civic and voter education on it. These engagements will also be used to collate views from regional level stakeholders on the phenomenon that will be used to develop comprehensive policy recommendations for stakeholders and relevant institutions to implement.<\/p>\n The third in the series of the Regional Roundtable Dissuasions was held yesterday, Tuesday July 11, 2017 at the Nim Avenue Hotel in Tamale in the Northern Region.<\/p>\n The following observations were made by participants during the discussion:<\/p>\n With regards to finding lasting solutions to the phenomenon of party vigilantism, there was consensus among participants that:<\/p>\n Conclusion<\/strong><\/p>\n As you may know, CODEO\u2019s primary and broad objective is to complement the efforts of Ghana\u2019s Electoral Commission and indeed all stakeholders in ensuring transparent, free, fair and peaceful elections in the country. CODEO will continue to advocate for peaceful and credible elections during and in between elections. CODEO calls on all stakeholders, including the political parties, security agencies, and the public at large to as a matter of urgency, address this growing menace. CODEO calls on all Ghanaians to work together to support this crusade against political party vigilantism in our electoral politics. CODEO further calls on the media to make this subject critical for public discussion and urge them not to allow this matter to disappear from the public discourse until it is eradicated.<\/p>\n Finally, CODEO acknowledges the generous support of the American People through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for supporting CODEO\u2019s post-2016 election activities. Thank you and God Bless Ghana!!!<\/p>\n Signed by:<\/p>\n Albert Kofi Arhin, National Coordinator, CODEO<\/p>\n <\/p>\n –<\/p>\n By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah\/citifmonline.com\/Ghana<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Participants at a day\u2019s public forum in Tamale which focused on the need to disband political parties\u2019 vigilante groups have called for a national security summit to deliberate on the human security threat. They have also advocated the establishment of an independent appointing authority to take charge of appointing the nation\u2019s security heads. The Coalition […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[58,11],"tags":[1713,3,1691],"yoast_head":"\n\n
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