Militia confab: President’s response unfortunate - Sammy Gyamfi

The Communication Director of the NDC has described the president’s move to legislate against vigilantism as “unfortunate.”

According to Sammy Gyamfi, while his party welcomes any effort aimed at combating party militarism, Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo Addo’s latest action merely betrays his commitment to disbanding political militia, which he said is “little.”

Gyamfi’s characterization of Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo’ action was in reference to the latter’s directive on Thursday urging the Attorney General to pass legislation to outlaw vigilantism in Ghana.

The President’s directive, which was disclosed in a letter addressed to the Chairman of the NDC, Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, among other things, said  “since the constitutional responsibility of maintaining law and order in our country is that of the Executive, i.e. the President of the Republic, I have, in line with my pronouncement to Parliament during the Message on the State of the Nation on 21 February, 2019, instructed the Attorney General, without prejudice to the outcome of the engagement, if any, between the NPP and NDC, to prepare and submit to Parliament, as soon as possible, specific legislation to deal with the phenomenon of vigilantism, and provide appropriate sanctions against its occurrence.”

Gyamfi who is not impressed with the president’s directive said Friday “we already have enough laws to deal with the exodus of vigilantism. Vigilantism is illegal,” he said on News Desk, a Joy News analysis programme.

The NDC’s communication chief added that “what is needed is the enforcement of existing laws.” He continued, “you can pass all the laws but it still comes to enforcement.”

Sounding disappointed he quizzed “Why must we wait for new laws to deal with the issue?”

He said “the police need the freedom to do their work,” which is enforcing the existing laws without interference.