Some Civil Society Organizations including Community Focus Foundation Ghana (CFF-GH) and Foundation for Security and Development in Africa (FOSDA), have called on government, political parties and all other stakeholders to adopt a zero-tolerance for acts of vigilantism ahead of the 2020 general elections.

According to the CSOs, the passage of the anti-vigilantism bill alone is not enough to put to an end the canker.

At a stakeholder and media engagement in Ho on Tuesday, the coalition called on the government to confront the fight by applying the law without fear or favour to any person or a group of people.

“Political parties must allow state security apparatus to undertake their mandated duties without influence. Political parties should not incite their supporters to be violent but rather support the state institutions to do their work and channel complaints and grievances to the appropriate quarters for redress,” the statement read.

The group further urged Ghanaian youth to shy away from acts of violence during the December electioneering campaign.

“We call the young people of this country to resist any form of temptation to be used as tools to perpetrate any act of electoral violence before during and after the elections. On the other hand, government must invest in reducing the unemployment situation among the youth,” the statement added.

Speaking at the event, the Volta Regional Chairman of the Peace Council, Rev. Seth Mawutor noted that political parties must commit themselves to the fight against vigilantism to safeguard the country against electoral violence.

Rev. Mawutor also took the opportunity to condemn the recent violent attacks on some state institutions including police stations by the Western Togoland separatists group.