The president has described as “misrepresentations” and palpable “falsehood” claims that government and the NPP are recruiting thugs into national security to help them retain power in 2020.

According to Nana Akufo-Addo, there is no such recruitment, adding the New Patriotic Party is preparing to win the election on its record, values and arguments.

He was responding to a letter written to him by the National Chair of the NDC Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, accepting the call for all vigilante groups to be disbanded.

The NDC had given the president some preconditions before attending a meeting that is likely to end the phenomenon of violent party militias in the country.

While accepting the call for the two major parties to lead the campaign for peace by disbanding the various vigilante groups affiliated to them, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo said the call for disbandment must be extended to all political parties, civil society groups, representatives of the media and military.

He also alleged that the ongoing Short Commission investigating the violence in the Ayawaso West by-election had shown evidence of infiltration of National Security with militia men believed to be affiliated to the NPP and charged the president to take steps to remove all those men.

Moot Call

In a response however, the president said the Short Commission had made no such finding, at least not yet, insisting comments like these can only be prejudicial.

He said the call by Ampofo for other groups other than the NDC and NPP to disband their vigilante groups was moot.

Samuel Ofosu Ampofo

“Firstly to extend the call for the disbandment not only to the New Patriotic Party and the National Democratic Congress but all political parties, civil society organizations, representatives of the media, representatives of the military, police and other security agencies as well as other relevant stakeholders. I am not aware of any vigilante groups that are associated with any of these bodies as your letter suggests. Political party vigilante activity in the country has, unfortunately, been associated with the National Democratic Congress and the New Patriotic Party. I, thus see little basis for your request,” he said.

Mediators?

The president also expressed dismay at the suggestion by Ampofo that mediators should be made to sit in the meeting.

According to president, it is worrying that the two political parties, who for the last 20 years had taken turns to rule the country could not sit and solve problems amicably but had to involve foreign dignitaries and other intermediaries.

“I had hoped that the proposed meeting would be without preconditions on either side,” he said but welcomed the preparedness of the NDC to sit and find a lasting solution to the problem of vigilantism in Ghana.

He urged the two parties to take steps to meet “as soon as possible and all matters ventilated there.”

“Government stands ready to provide a venue, if it is the wish of the parties,” he added.