President Nana Akufo-Addo must “disband and demobilise his illegal vigilante group, the Invincible Forces with immediate effect,” the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has demanded.
In a statement signed by General Secretary Johnson Asiedu Nketia on 22 February commending the president for condemning the post-election lawlessness and violence perpetrated by some NPP members on NDC members, the NDC said: “We intend to view this belated call by president Nana Akufo-Addo as a genuine effort on his part to rein in the rampaging and marauding members of his party and it is our expectation that his gesture will restore the peace Ghanaians enjoyed under the NDC.”
The party said the president must demonstrate his commitment to ensuring rule of law by disbanding the Invincible Forces, which the NPP sees as its private security arm.
Below is the full statement issued by the NDC
Press Release
President’s Assurance Of NPP Post-Election Violence Cessation
The National Democratic Congress notes with a lot of hesitant interest that President Nana Akufo-Addo in his maiden State of the Nation Address, eventually called on the lawless rampaging members of his party to stop all acts of violence and brigandry that they have been consciously unleashing on innocent citizens, especially members or perceived supporters of the NDC, with the tacit support and goading-on of the Acting National Chairman of the NPP, Mr. Freddie Blay, as well as other leading members of the Party.
This call, though belated, is welcome news for the NDC and indeed all peace-loving Ghanaians.
In our last two press conferences, we had cause to demand from Nana Akufo-Addo, a swift call to stop his lawless Invincible Forces from engaging in their beastly and barbaric acts.
Our calls went unheeded and the brigandry of the Invincible Forces resulted in injuries, destruction of property, and the loss of precious lives.
The inability of the security forces to protect lives and property compelled us to ask our members to employ the first law of nature, which is, self-defense: as the only way of fending off the fiendish attacks of the Nana Akufo-Addo’s Invincible Forces.
Inasmuch as our call to our supporters could have escalated the violence, that was the only option available to us.
We intend to view this belated call by president Nana Akufo-Addo as a genuine effort on his part to rein in the rampaging and marauding members of his party and it is our expectation that his gesture will restore the peace Ghanaians enjoyed under the NDC.
It is our hope that the President is not only paying lip service to his call for the IGP, Asante-Apeatu and his men to crack the whip and deal mercilessly with all forms of lawlessness.
In this regard, we wish to request the President to disband and demobilise his illegal vigilante group, the Invincible Forces with immediate effect.
On our part, we are calling off the planned demonstration of our Youth Wing against NPP violence scheduled for February 24, as a sign of good faith.
We believe in peaceful coexistence and we see the President’s call as an important precondition for peace in Ghana. We therefore urge him to walk the talk.
Johnson Asiedu Nketia (NDC, General Secretary)
February 22, 2017.
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