NDC signs roadmap to disband party militia

Several months after the draft of the roadmap to scrap party militia, the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has appended its signature to a Code of Conduct to ensure implementation.

The party has committed to seeing out the ban on party militia after President Akufo-Addo assented the Vigilantism and Related Offences Bill 2019, which parliament passed in July 2019.

The National Peace Council subsequently outlined a detailed Code of Conduct and roadmap to ensure that parties are devoid of any affiliated militia.

Led by its Chairman, Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, the party assented to the document on Wednesday, June 17, but raised concerns which they implored the Peace Council to address.

Key reservations of the NDC included the failure of the government to sanction persons found culpable of violating various regulations contained in the report by the Justice Emile Short Commission on the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election violence.

The NDC also raised red flags over alleged recruitment of thugs from the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) into various security agencies.

The party stated that it was law-abiding, hence its commitment to the roadmap to ensure peaceful elections this year.

“Regrettably, as we speak now, not a single person who was found culpable by the Commission on some of the violence that we saw including physical attacks,” Mr Ofosu-Ampofo said.

He wondered if the NPP had also assented to the roadmap, since it was a collective effort which requires a commitment by all political organisations.

“As of now, we are even not aware whether the government has appended its signature to the agreement that we have signed today and for us, it is a very worrying development,” he noted.

Responding to the concerns, Most Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Asante was confident of working on solutions to the issues listed.

“We can assure our brothers and entire Ghanaians that the Peace Council will do all it can with its partners to deliver,” he stressed.

“It is our wish that in the interest of our country, the peace of our country, the development of our country, the country we all have, we will do everything to ensure justice and peace and as a national institution not committed to any one side of the political divide,” he added.

The NDC initially refused to sign the 31-page road map in February 2020 with explanations that not all measures had been exhausted before coming out with the document.

The NPP, on the other hand, expressed their full commitment to the guidelines.

The General Secretary, John Boadu, signed it in February on behalf of the party.