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Northern Regional Director of National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Alhaji Abdul Razak Saani has criticized Ghana’s parliament for making laws without educating the citizens.
According to him, law markers at the Ghana’s parliament are busy legislating laws but does virtually nothing to let the ordinary citizens understand the laws.
The laws, he noted are in the books but the citizens are not being educated and its effects is manifesting, especially electioneering year.
‘The chiefs are customary bound to intervene and support people who goes against the law, but with promulgation of vigilantism law, the chiefs will not intercede in matters of criminality at the police stations, as they use to’, the NCCE Director stated.
The NCCE and its collaborators he added are not only targeting the chiefs but their elders who live in the communities with the people to also understand the law.
The chief understanding of the law Alhaji Razak noted will enable to have enough breathing space at their Palaces.
They will also focused on other important developmental issues, he emphasized.
The NCCE Director made the statement when he presented a copy of the Vigilantism and Related Offences Act, 2019 to the Paramount chief of Gulkpegu traditional area at his palace in Tamale.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo gave his assent to the Act in September 9,2019.
The Act, bans acts of vigilantism in Ghana, disbands vigilante groups, including political party vigilante groups and land guards.
According to President Akufo-Addo, told the Ghana Bar Conference that on 19th August, 2019 that “a person who directly or indirectly instigates or solicits the activity of a vigilante, facilitates or encourages vigilantism, or conceals a vigilante to avoid lawful arrest, commits an offence, and is liable, on conviction, to a term of imprisonment of not less than ten (10) years and not more than fifteen (15) years.”
The presentation of the Act forms part of collaborative work between NCCE and NORSAAC to ensure that activities of vigilantes collectively deal with.
In all, 16 Paramount chiefs in northern and North East regions under NORSAAC’s 2 years ‘Decent Electron’ Project financed by Star-Ghana Foundation will receive a copy each and also commit themselves against vigilantism.
The chiefs, Alhaji Saani said are expected to study the act and educate their subjects on matters of criminality per the act. It will also help the chiefs not to adjucate matters relating to vigilantism at their palaces.
Briefing the Gulkpw Naa Alhaji Alhassan Abdulai on the act, the NCCE regional Director Alhaji Abdul Razak Saani told the chief that rule of law and respect of traditional authorities was the only way to peaceful society and emphasized important role of chiefs in the 2020 elections.
The vigilantism act Alhaji Razak explained was meant to address thugs with intention of terrorising ordinary citizens without any provocation.
The Gulkpegu Naa, Alhaji Alhassan Abdulai assured of his palace commitment to the fight vigilantism. The Gulkpegu Na made it clear that selective application of the act will defeat its intended purpose.
Mr Mohammed Rashad, Secretary to the Gulkpegu Na called for full implementation of the law without any selectivity.
The chiefs he said now has a respite and will now refer any law breaker to law.
What is worth noting is that, let’s also talk to the politicians and law enforcement agencies to ensure that this law, one’s it affect part A or they have apply to A, it should be applicable to part B and also citizens friendly; Anything short of this will not be good for us, the secretary warned.
He also made patianate appeal to about 39 divisioals in the Gulkpegu traditional area not to interfere in the work of the law enforcement agencies.
The interference Mr Rashad noted, will not help but rather aggregate the situation.
