Accra, May 7, GNA - The Convention People's Party (CPP) on Friday called on democratic forces to cooperate with the security agencies to expose "the enemies of democratic development," behind the recent bomb scare in Accra.

"The recent bomb scares had the potential of disrupting the December general elections, mar the nations' democratic jump-up within the comity of nations as well as startle investors," Dr Edmund N. Delle, CPP Chairman told the Ghana News Agency.

There were false alarms that bombs had been planted at the Merchant Bank in Central Accra on Tuesday May 4; another at the Ghana International School on Wednesday May 5 and the Novotel Hotel on Thursday May 6, 2004.

Dr Delle also called for harmonisation of forces among all stakeholders, government, political parties, media practitioners, telecommunication operators and civil society to combat the new threat to peace, necessary for the 2004 elections.

He also urged the government and the security agencies to be resolute, firm and swift in dealing with those attempting to hold the nation into ransom, reminiscent of the serial killings of women during the last general elections.

The CPP Chairman called for the formation of vigilante groups to flash-out trouble-shooters within the body politics to ensure that Elections 2004 is fought devoid of intimidation, vindictiveness and fear.

He said, "The days of Kulungugu Bombs is gone for ever, CPP joins all democratic forces to denounce and condemned the threat to national peace."

Dr Delle said Ghana has been classified as an island of peace in the midst of a turbulent, volatile and conflict prone West African sub-region, ready to explode into oblivion.

But recent developments in the country, especially recent bomb scares, the whipping up of tribal, ethnic, religious, political and personal vindictiveness into national politicking makes the country and for that matter the acclaimed or perceived accolade in danger. Dr Delle who is also the national leader of the party also expressed concern about the escalation of armed banditry and the rumours that the country has become a transit point in arms trafficking in the sub-region, as well as numerous small arms manufacturing centres springing up in the country-side.

He therefore called for immediate governmental action against the proliferation of small arms, stressing, "As a nation, we must begin to seriously consider the illegal possession of light weapons and small arms as a security problem.

"It is, therefore, imperative to identify, prosecute and punish illegal weapons manufacturers, brokers, importers and carriers. It must be noted that conflicts and armed banditry are fuelled by the easy availability of small arms".

He said the spate of armed robberies, drug trafficking and other armed related crimes affect the security of the nation, stressing that, "assassination attempts on political leadership and officials, especially in Africa should sound a warning to those who do not consider the possession of illegal arms and light weapons as a threat to security in the country."

Dr Delle therefore, tasked security agencies and immigration authorities to step up efforts to check the proliferation of small arms in the country to protect its relative internal peace. Security agencies at the country's entry points should be equipped to put a check on possible inflow of small arms.