The National Democratic Congress has asked President Akufo-Addo to back his call for an end to all post-election violence by disbanding with immediate effect, the vigilante Invisible Forces of the New Patriotic Party.
The president on Tuesday while he delivered the State of the Nation Address to parliament, condemned “certain incidents” which occurred after the 2016 elections which he said were matters of concern to him, and should be to every Ghanaian “as they marred an otherwise dignified and successful transition.”
“Wrongdoing has no political colour, and I do not subscribe to the lawlessness of political party supporters simply because their party has been elected into office… I condemn all such conduct, and I call on all political parties, especially the New Patriotic Party and the National Democratic Congress, to ensure that this is the last time such undignified acts occur during our periods of transition,” said the president.
The NDC has in a statement to the press signed by its General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, welcomed the president’s condemnation, saying they believe in peaceful coexistence and see the president’s call as an important precondition for peace in Ghana.
They however want “him to walk the talk”.
The NDC said as a sign of good faith, it has called off a planned demonstration of its Youth Wing “against NPP violence scheduled for February 24.
Below is the full text of the press release by the NDC
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 Invisible Forces from engaging in their beastly and barbaric acts.
Our calls went unheeded and the brigandry of the Invisible 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 Invisible Forces.
In as much 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 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)
