The Executive Director of the Institute for Liberty and Policy Innovation (ILAPI), Mr Peter Bismark Kwofie, says political vigilantism persists in Ghana largely because of weak punitive action and huge incentives for perpetrators.
According to him, many vigilante members are rewarded with appointments into the security services by their political paymasters after their party wins power.
“Some of them are posted into the National Security architecture, while others become security guards for state officials. This is a huge incentive, since many of them might never have had the opportunity to join the security services on merit,” he said.
He added that some also gain access to state protocols and other favours.
Mr Kwofie said it is unfortunate that the Electoral Commission (EC) lacks the legal muscle to effectively punish violators of electoral processes.
The Electoral Commission must be elevated to the status of an Authority to be able to sanction political parties that enjoy the services of these vigilante groups, as well as the individuals involved,” he stated.
He stressed that vigilante groups cannot co-exist with the country’s recognized security agencies.
“It is only the State that has a monopoly over security, and therefore for any political party to have a vigilante group is an aberration of the law,” he said.
Mr Kwofie cited instances where vigilante groups disrupted court proceedings without facing serious punitive sanctions, noting that party bigwigs often pay fines on their behalf, which emboldens them to commit more offences.
He said the electoral process is now being backed by these groups instead of state security agencies.
He also condemned the popular notion promoted by the Electoral Commission that “elections are won at the polling station,” explaining that such statements inspire these groups to adopt a “do-or-die” approach at polling centres.
Mr Kwofie said if the Electoral Commission is elevated to an Authority, it can ban any group as part of the electoral process and sanction parties that violate rules and cause violence at polling centres.
He further identified the overly permissive rules governing political parties as part of the problem, which allows them to publicly launch their own security groups to serve partisan interests.
Godfred Sey @Ahotoronline.com