President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has once again reiterated his commitment to ensuring that the two main political parties – NDC, NPP – meet and find a way to disband vigilante groups affiliated to their parties.

Addressing a gathering at the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium in Tamale during the 62nd Independence Day anniversary on Wednesday, March 6, the President said political violence is “offensive and shames us all who are in politics,” adding that “I’ll spare no effort including the initiation of the relevant legislation to ensure that we rid our nation of politically related violence.”

According to the President, the people of Ghana “do not deserve to be toyed with in such a reckless manner”.

President Akufo-Addo’s comments come barely a day after he dismissed calls by the national chairman of the NDC Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo to call for external mediators to oversee the talks between the two parties on how to end political vigilantism.

The President in a letter to Mr. Ofosu-Ampofo stated that “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.”

He also used his address to assure the people of Ghana that there will be no violence in the 2020 elections.

“There’s no room and there should be no room for violence in this whole process. It should be a contest of ideas that seek to win the hearts and minds of the people.”