The General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has told the international community that the emergence of political vigilantism in Ghana poses a serious threat to the peace and security of the country.
This development has the tendency not only to disturb the peace of the country but adversely affect the country’s credentials as oasis of peace in Africa, he said.
The NDC General Secretary was addressing a meeting of the Council of the Socialist International (SI) in Barcelona, Spain over the weekend. Political parties from 73 countries, which are members of SI attended the two-day meeting. SI is a worldwide association of political parties, most of which seek to establish democratic socialism. It’s a union of democratic socialist, social-democratic and labour political parties and other organisations. Mr. Asiedu Nketia drew the attention of the international community and the Barcelona meeting to the activities of the pro-New Patriotic Party (NPP) vigilante groups, citing recent activities of Invisible Forces, which he described as having effects on development of the country.
According to him, research indicates that most wars and conflicts in Africa could be attributed to failure by governments to halt the activities of vigilantes. He, therefore, urged the international community to do whatever it takes to impress on the government of Ghana to act by stopping the activities of vigilantism in the country or declare itself incapable of ruling the country. This is because “we handed over the country peacefully to the current government” and nothing should be done to disturb the peace, Mr. Asiedu Nketiah stated. He was also not happy with fines on over a 100 radio stations in Ghana as that would affect democracy and free speech. Mr. Asiedu Nketiah told the meeting that many parts of the world today are threatened by wars involving superpowers pursuing agendas of global power dominance and intra-state conflicts fanned by struggle for power and greed on the part of politicians and their accomplices.
He pointed out that most of these wars and conflicts have resulted in malnutrition and displacement of large population and that undermines the stability and cause human misery. This has led to growing impoverishment of population and undermines the stability of global peace, Mr. Asiedu Nketiah stated. The NDC General Secretary is expected to address the media on resolutions taken at the meeting on his arrival on Wednesday.
