A group calling itself Concerned Citizens for Peace and Justice [CCPJ] has highly praised President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for his call to discuss vigilantism with the largest opposition party, the National Democratic Congress [NDC].

The group described the move as “perfect” after admitting that “vigilante groups are threat to the peace of Ghana.”

President Akufo-Addo, while delivering the 2019 State of the Nation Address instructed the leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) which he belongs to, to extend an invitation to the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to discuss how to disband their respective vigilante groups.

Citing the recent violence that marred the Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency due to activities of supposed politically-aligned vigilante groups, President Akufo-Addo promised to use legislation to stop the phenomenon of political vigilantism if the two parties fail to stop it voluntarily.

“I want to use the platform of this Message to make a sincere, passionate appeal to the leaders of the two main political parties in our country, NPP and NDC, to come together, as soon as possible, preferably next week, to agree on appropriate measures to bring an end to this worrying and unacceptable phenomenon of vigilantism in our body politic,” he said.

“I have asked the leadership of the NPP to extend an invitation to the leadership of the NDC for such a meeting. The security services of the country will be on standby to assist this meeting… If voluntary disbandment by the parties is not feasible, then I will initiate legislation on the matter. Vigorous debate and the exchange of ideas should be the true basis of political dialogue and competition in our country, not the activities of party vigilante groups,” Akufo-Addo added.

However, the NDC led by former President John Dramani Mahama has said the NDC is willing to attend a bi-partisan meeting which will ostensibly seek to end political vigilantism in the country.

Speaking at a Thanksgiving Service to celebrate his re-election as flagbearer of the NDC at the Perez Chapel in Accra, the former President said the NDC will ensure that objectives of the discussions at the meeting which will be held with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) are “upheld.”

“We have written a letter to the President and we say that the National Peace Council is the best organization to preside over the talks on disbanding vigilantism. NDC is going into that conference in good faith,” Mr Mahama assured.

In a statement copied to Peacefmonline.com, the Concerned Citizens for Peace and Justice [CCPJ] said they are “proud” of the NDC to have accepted the President’s call for vigilantism dialogue.

“We sincerely commend them and hope the process will be fast tracked to achieve the desired results. It’s heartwarming the proposal made by the NDC that, the peace council should lead the process as well as other relevant state institutions,” the statement read.