NPP Invites NDC To Meeting

The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has officially written to the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) inviting them to dialogue on disbanding vigilante groups associated with the two as directed by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

It may be recalled that the President while giving the State of the Nation Address directed both parties to meet on charting a path towards the disbandment of vigilante groups associated with them. Failure to do this, he will effect a legislation to disband the vigilante groups.

This was after violence broke during a by-election at Ayawaso West Wuogon injuring over a dozen members of the NDC.

After the President's statement, the NDC wrote a letter to him requesting for the Peace Council and others to be included in the talks.

Akufo-Addo wrote back expressing dismay over the posture of the NDC.

“I am dismayed, and I believe that the Ghanaian people share my dismay, that the two parties who have dominated and continue to dominate the politics of the Fourth Republic, who between them have garnered at least 95% of the votes in each of the seven (7) general elections of the Fourth Republic, who have provided all seven (7) Governments of the Fourth Republic, who are the only parties currently represented in the Seventh Parliament of the Fourth Republic, cannot meet to dialogue on matters of our nation’s governance and political culture, without the intervention of outsiders, including foreign entities, no matter how well-meaning,” Nana Addo stated.

The NDC again responded in a second letter; this time demanding for ECOWAS, UN, others to be included.

In response to the second letter, the President directed the Attorney General to start drafting legislation toward dealing with the issue of vigilantism. According to spokespersons for the government, the drafting of the legislation will go side by side with the dialogue between the two major parties.

In all of these, the NPP had not yet officially written to the NDC inviting them as the President had directed.

On Tuesday, 19th March 2019, wrote an invitation letter addressed to the National Chairman of the NDC, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo.

The letter signed by the General Secretary of the NPP, John Boadu expressed delight “to officially invite you (the NDC) to a meeting to discuss the menace of political vigilantism, which has gained notoriety in the country, and explore ways of permanently disbanding the various vigilante groups associated with Ghana’s two major political parties”.

“You’ll recall that since the president made this call, our National Chairman, Freddie Blay, has been engaging your good self in telephone conversations on the subject. We think that time is now ripe for the parties to hold this crucial meeting, which the whole nation has been looking forward to.

We have also taken notice of your request to expand the scope of the engagement to include multiple stakeholders and wish to assure you that the NPP avails itself of this consideration at the meeting, which will afford the two parties the opportunity to agree on the various stakeholders to be invited to the subsequent engagements".

Venue For Meeting

The NPP in the letter is ready to meet the NDC anywhere convenient to them and requested that they communicate the venue back to them.

"The NPP proposes that this crucial meeting comes off during this week at a venue convenient to you and, so, we entreat you to, as soon as possible, get in touch with the party when you find a suitable venue for this meeting” the statement added.