The Christian Council says the peace of the nation would be jeopardised if violent attacks and seizures of state institutions allegedly perpetrated by some youth of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) are not stopped.
Council General Secretary, Reverend Dr Kwabena Opuni Frimpong said these reprisal attacks bleed the “wounds” suffered by some people following the defeat of former President John Mahama in the 2016 general elections.
Speaking to Prince Minkah, host of Joy FM’s Top Story programme Friday, the clergyman said the governing NPP should concentrate on how it would rally Ghanaians behind its policies and not to divide them.
“We have a problem. This nation has wounds and hurt and the way to go is not equalization,” he said.
Some NPP youth have been on rampage after President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was declared as the winner of the 2016 presidential poll. These attacks were repeated after the inauguration of the President on January 7.
Toll booths, state institutions were seized in some areas in the country, and some public workers driven out of their offices with a stern warning for them not to return. Some of the attackers identified themselves to be members of the NPP’s Invincible Forces.
The Youth Employment Agency (YEA) and National Disaster Management Office (NADMO) in Sagnerigu district were put under lock and key by some youth of the NPP. It took the presence of security personnel for calm to return to the Region, he said.
At Boodi in the Western Region, NPP youth forced their way into the offices of the National Health Insurance (NHIS) in the district.
District Director of NHIS Samuel Mintah told Joy News the youth assaulted some of his staff and vandalised properties belong to the institution.
The Rattray Park situated in Kumasi was stormed by at least 30 youth who identified themselves as members of the NPP Patriots, a group said to be part of the party’s security wing.
The Passport Office in Accra was also besieged by some NPP youth demanding to be told how the office is run. Director of Passport, Alexander Grant told Joy News the men drove into the office in NPP branded vehicles and said they would provide security for the institution.
Pressure has been mounted on the President to call the NPP youth to order and the police to arrest the youth who are perpetrating the heinous crimes.
At a news conference in Accra Friday, Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent Cephas Arthur said the police have made some arrest since the incidents started.
He said the attacks are on a “sour taste in mouths of well meaning members of the public,” pledging heightened police surveillance in the country.
But Dr Opuni Frimpong said the attacks should not have happened considering the nation pulled out a violence free election and a smooth transition process.
“We have to know that we are past elections. We are into governance and the President has assured the nation that he is a president for all people,” he said.
“We can’t continue transferring these into the future and the way is to allow law and order to prevail in the country,” he added.
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