The Member of Parliament for Sunyani West, Millicent Yeboah Amankwah, is advocating urgent review of Ghana’s Anti-vigilantism law to effectively deal with activities of vigilante groups in the country.
According to the young lawmaker, the piece of legislation in its current form does not adequately provide for addressing extreme excesses perpetuated by political activists during elections hence need to be reviewed.
Ghana’s Parliament in 2019 passed the Vigilantism and Related Offences Act, Act 999, to disband vigilante groups; including political party vigilante groups and land guards; to proscribe acts of vigilantism in the country and to provide for related matters.
However, the country’s elections are still characterized by acts of vigilantism by groups associated with political parties.
Speaking on the floor on Parliament in a contribution to a statement on the recent violence associated with elections in 19 polling station at the Ablekuma North constituency, the Sunyani West MP believes, addressing excesses of irate youth during elections will be a sure way to mitigate challenges of electoral violence.
Hon Amankwah said a review of the anti-vigilante law is necessary to deal with culprits holistically describing the current law as “impotent” since supporters of political parties hide to forment trouble at electoral venues, a matter she said was unacceptable.
She urged the need for political leaders including Members of Parliament to be circumspect with their utterances before, during and after elections in order not to inflate passion, but help keep the peace and protect the country’s democracy.
By: Christian Kpesese
