Some citizens say they prefer mediation to the President’s directive to the two leading political parties to meet and find ways of ending an upsurge in party militia activities.

According to them, it is impractical to have culprits of political violence – New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) – sit in a room and discuss ways to stop the criminal activities of militia groups aligned to their course.

President Akufo-Addo in his State of the Nation Address delivered to Parliament on Thursday, ordered both the NPP and NDC to immediately convene a meeting to discuss the menace of party militia or he will be compelled to legislate against their activities.

However, citizens who appeared on Ghana Connect on Joy FM, Friday, February 22, want those identified groups disbanded and members who have participated in the perpetuation of crimes arrested and prosecuted. That is the sure way to nipping their activities in the bud, they have argued.

Alternatively, a panel headed either by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II or the Ya-Na of Dagbon, Abukari Mahama II, should be constituted to mediate between the two leading parties who have together governed the country for the past 26 years, to end political violence.

The discussants were predominantly journalists from The Multimedia Group; Benjamin Akyena Brantuo, Edwin Appiah, Gifty Andoh-Appiah, Nhyira Addo and Malik Abass Daabu. Others are Yaa Gyamfua Arhin of the GIMPA Law School and a youth leader at Madina Zongo, Mahmoud Abdul Moomen.

Click to watch the discussion moderated by the head of the Political Desk of Joy News, Evans Mensah.