[ 2019-03-01 ]

Ofosu Ampofo writes to Akufo-Addo on party militia disbandment
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has written
a surprise letter to the President in response to
his directive to the two main political parties to
break up militias affiliated to them.

The letter, addressed to President Addo Dankwa
Akufo-Addo is coming at a time when the contents
of a leaked audio threaten to further divide the
NDC and the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Related: Full transcript of leaked NDC audio

In the letter signed by NDC National Chairman,
Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, the main opposition party
said they will avail themselves “of the
opportunity whenever at the pleasure of Your
Excellency and at a venue convenient for the
purpose.”

The President had requested a meeting only between
the two main parties – NPP and NDC.

But the NDC, in the letter, is proposing an
expansion: the opposition party wants the
discussions to include all political parties,
civil society organizations, representatives of
the media, representatives of the military, police
and other security agencies, as well as any other
relevant stakeholders.

Related: NDC Chairman to appear before Police CID
Friday

The NDC also proposed the inclusion of a mediator
and suggested that a representative from the
National Peace Council be appointed for that task
of moderating the dialogue between NDC and NPP on
breaking up party-affiliated militias.

This is a crucial proposal especially considering
the contents of the leaked recording on which a
voice alleged to be that of the NDC Chairman is
heard indorsing verbal attacks at the Chairman of
the National Peace Council.

In the letter, the NDC further proposed the
inclusion of institutions like the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP) to assist the
National Peace Council.

The NDC, however, asked the government to take
immediate steps to disband and disarm the illegal
Armed Force being maintained by the National
Security Council.

The opposition party also wants the government to
abandon its plans and rather instruct its agents
in the regions to stop the state-sanctioned
recruitment of political party thugs for the
purpose of the 2020 general election.

A favourable response by the President and the NPP
will advance calls for an end of party militias
and strengthen the Multimedia Group
Limited’s #disbandpartymilitiasnow
campaign.

Read the letter below.

H.E. The President

Jubilee House, Kanda

I write this as a formal response to the call you
made in the Sessional Address you delivered on
February 21, 2019, to our respective parties for a
meeting to discuss the way forward toward the
disbandment of political vigilantism in Ghana.

Your Excellency, in view of the gradual
development of this phenomenon in recent years,
and the dangerous escalation in which it was
manifested at the recent by-election at Ayawaso
West Wuogon, we cannot but agree with you in
principle that a serious national effort should be
made to address this problem once and for all. We
will, therefore, avail ourselves of the
opportunity whenever at the pleasure of Your
Excellency and at a venue convenient for the
purpose.

In agreeing to be part of this effort, may I
kindly set out the position of the NDC in direct
reference to the nature and thrust of your request
in order that you may better appreciate the spirit
in which we approach this all-important national
issue.

Your Excellency may be aware that in the recent
past, several civil society organizations,
religious and faith-based organizations, political
parties and their leaders and even the media, have
expressed a worrying and deep-seated concern about
this phenomenon.

And as the phenomenon has appeared to take some
root in the fabric of our politics, it is only
prudent that the call for a disbandment is
extended to not only the National Democratic
Congress and the New Patriotic Party but all
political parties, civil society organisations,
representatives of the media, representatives of
the military, police and other security agencies,
as well as any other relevant stakeholders.

In addition, in view of the often recurrent
mistrust and suspicion that characterize such
interactions by political parties, and the pain
and suffering that vigilantism may have created
especially in the recent past, it is of the utmost
importance that a mediator with national
credibility be appointed to drive the entire
process in that regard, my party, the NDC, propose
that the National Peace Council be appointed as
the mediator for such a meeting.

We also think that the peace council will require
as collaborators, institutions that may have
unimpeachable knowledge and expertise in providing
support for such efforts.

And in this regard the NDC propose that the Kofi
Annan International Peacekeeping Training Center
(KAIPTC), the United Nations Development Programme
(UNDP), National Commission for Civic Education
(NCCE) and the Institute for Democratic Governance
(IDEG) join the Peace Council to facilitate the
process.

Your Excellency, I believe that with these as
mediator and facilitators, we can look forward to
a robust interaction that can only culminate in a
successful resolution of the matter.

I wish to make another observation in order to
properly situate the intended interaction between
our respective parties in the proper perspective.

Your Excellency has already set in motion a
Commission of Inquiry into the incident that
characterized the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election.
My party’s understanding of the remit of
the commission includes the possibility that it
will set out a road map for the resolution of this
phenomenon. If this assumption is correct, do we
allow the commission to conclude with its report
before we engage in our discussion on the same
matter, or we proceed regardless of the
recommendations of the Commission?

Secondly, we are aware that the revelations at the
Commission establish clearly that elements of the
vigilante groups apparently sponsored by your
party have already been absorbed into the security
system, a development that dramatically changes
the normal character of vigilantes as we have come
to know it, and gives it a real potential for
instability as the Ayawaso Bye Election amply
demonstrated.

In view of these observations, therefore, may I
humbly reiterate the issues set out in a statement
my party February 22, 2019, in which we stated
that:

a. The government takes immediate steps to disband
and disarm the illegal Armed Force being
maintained by the National Security Council

b. That the government abandons its plans and
rather instructs its agents in the regions to stop
the state~sanctioned recruitment of political
party thugs for the purpose of the 2020 general
election

l conclude this by sending to you my highest
regards.

Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo

National Chairman

Source - Myjoyonline

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