Ghana on the verge of collapse in the midst of vigilantism - DCN-GH

By DCN-GH - The Democratic Credentials Network Ghana (DCN-GH) has noted with utmost sadness and grave concern the troubling mushrooming of militia groups in our beloved nation, Ghana. 

The notoriety party vigilantism has gained in Ghana needs much to be desired. Ghana, a progressive democratic state built under the principles of the rule of law, transparency and accountable governance has successful been shortchanged into a police state, rightly defined by Merriam Webster as “a political unit characterized by repressive governmental control of political, economic, and social life usually by an arbitrary exercise of power by police and especially secret police in place of regular operation of administrative and judicial organs of the government according to publicly known legal procedures”

The emergent of the dreaded militia groups established and supported by surrogates of the two major political parties including the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and National Democratic Congress (NDC) cast a slur on Ghana’s democratic integrity.

As you may recall, immediately there was change of government, members of the NPP’s invisible forces and their affiliates have been on vandalism spree, seizing state properties, harassing former government appointees through unlawful invasions and going on collision course with law enforcement agencies. 

The forceful and violent nature in which the Delta Force members attacked the court in Kumasi and freed suspects in lawful custody is still fresh in the memories of all Ghanaians and Non-Ghanaians alike. The brutal assault on ASP Nanka Bruce at the presidency cannot be forgotten. 

The brazen acts of violence visited on innocent Ghanaians in the recently held Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election under the orders of the SWAT team commander, DSP Samuel Kojo Azugu indicates how unprofessional some elements within the security services has become. 

The shooting and unfortunate killing of one NDC activist by known members of the Hawks, Vigilante Group affiliated with the NDC at the Ashanti Regional Secretariat of the party on February 18, where the leadership of the party had gathered for a meeting was a replay of the AWW atrocities.

The recent troubling report from the explosive documentary by the renowned Ghanaian investigative journalist, Manasseh Azure and aired on Joy News on Thursday, 7th March, 2019, which exposed Pro-New Patriotic Party (NPP) militia group named De-Eye which is being operated at the then seat of government, the Osu Castle and led by one Nana Wireko Addo (a.k.a Choman), a former bodyguard of the President of the Republic lays credence to our position on the state of insecurity in Ghana.

Certainly, the brazen acts of violence, impunity and dreaded vigilantism being witnessed in recent years do not only pose serious threat to our democratic credentials but derails progress made in our democratic journey as a country and do not augur well for our quest to consolidating Ghana’s democracy and Rule of Law as enshrined in the Preamble of the 1992 Fourth Republican Constitution

​As a democratic oriented Civil Society Organization (CSO) which advocates for participatory, accountable, and democratic governance, we condemn in no uncertain terms the lawlessness of the people we call “enemies of the state” and we demand from government to take bold action and immediately disband these dreaded vigilante groups in the country whether government is a benefactor or not. 

Whiles at it, our worry however is government’s inability to completely clear the doubts in the minds of Ghanaians on its association with these wicked groups and this is not helping the image of Ghana in the international community. 

By this release, we are calling on the President of Ghana, H.E Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo, political actors, CSOs and well-meaning Ghanaians to take urgent actions and weed out the menace of para-military wings in our body politics to restore the badly damaged image of Ghana’s democratic integrity in the comity of nations.