CSOs back NDC's call for multi-stakeholder dialogue on vigilantism

Some Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in the country are calling for other stakeholders and entities to be involved in the proposed dialogue towards finding a lasting solution to political vigilantism in the country. Their call comes on the back of a back and forth between the NDC and President Nana Akufo-Addo on the way forward towards resolving the issue. The president while delivering his third State of the Nation address called on the NDC and NPP to meet and find a solution to the vigilantism menace. Following this call, Chairman of the NDC Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo wrote to the president, stating that the NDC is ever ready to take part in any such meeting. In the said letter, the Chairman, however, called for the involvement of other stakeholders in the said meeting, something the president disagreed with. Addressing the issues on the back of a consultative meeting by some CSOs including CDD, IDEG, CODEO and others, the groups disagreed with the president’s call to have just the two parties dialogue on the issue. These organizations argued that it is necessary for other parties to take part in the dialogue, since the matter is one that affects a larger group outside of the two major parties. “We believe that the CSOs with competence, integrity, and proven track records could engage to support this process. “We fully endorse the dialogue process as the way to deal with the mutual mistrust and find an enduring and amicable solution to the recurring threat to Ghana’s democracy, peace and security,” the groups indicated in a press release. The CSOs expressed readiness to be involve in any conversation on dealing with vigilantism, and charged the two political parties – the NDC and NPP – to refrain from the back and forth and focus on dealing with the issue of vigilantism. They charged the parties to formally disassociate themselves from the vigilante groups aligned with them and condemn their activities publicly. According to these CSOs, it is also important for the media to be circumspect in their reportage in order not to incite any act of violence from the purported vigilante groups. By Irene Amesimeku|3news.com|Ghana    ]]>