NDC disowns vigilante group “The Hawks”

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has disowned some well-built men who storm their just ended ‘Unity Walk’ in Kumasi on Saturday April 28, 2018, with inscriptions in their black T-shirts, “The Hawks”.

According to the Ashanti Regional branch of the party which organized the walk, the heavily built macho men, all wearing Black T-Shirts with the inscription “The Hawks”, came on their own and not at the invitations or recruitment of the party.

Some heavily built men (macho men) were spotted in the crowds of the NDC’s Ashanti Regional ‘Unity Walk’ in Kumasi on Saturday.

The appearance of heavily built macho men all wearing Black T-Shirts with the inscription “The Hawks”, started raising concerns as to whether they have come to counter the NPP’s ‘Invisible and Delta Forces’ who are currently operating in Kumasi and other parts of the regions.

Despite the warning from the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), to both NPP, NDC, and other political parties to dissolve all vigilante groups within their respective parties, the NDC seems to be forming its own group to ‘police’ the party’s outdoor activities such as rallies.

 The NCCE in a statement said “avoid any further and future undemocratic activities from such groups”.

Speaking in an interview with Prime News Ghana on why ‘The Hawks’ were leading the walk, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the NDC, Yaw Obimpeh sad, the boys were not recruited by the party.

The Chairman said he told them to leave the walk grounds when he spotted them and not to be part of the walk because “we don’t have boys called The Hawks”.

“They were only eight of them and these eight people cannot guard us all. We don’t have boys like that”, Mr. Obimpeh explained.

He said the party organized some people to guard them even though the police also provided them with security, but they did not recruit ‘The Hawks’.

“I ask where they came from and they told me they were youth organizers from various constituencies in the Ashanti Region who have come to join the walk”, he explained.

Mr. Obimpeh noted that the ‘boy’s were just fat and not that they were macho men.

NDC over the weekend held one of the well-attended unity walks in the Ashanti Regional capital, Kumasi.

The former President John Dramani Mahama, together with some bigwigs of the party, led members for the Ashanti Regional ‘Unity Walk’.

 Police declares war on political vigilantism

The issue of political vigilantism has become a headache for the ruling NPP government since its inception in January 7, 2016.

The police administration has therefore vowed to clamp down on activities of vigilante groups and all forms of mass disturbances in the country.

Inspector General of Police, David Asante-Apeatu who declared war on vigilantism, mass disorder and disturbances, said the police will not rest until these activities which are "alien to our culture" are nipped in the bud.

The police administration came under barrage of attacks following a raid on a Kumasi Circuit Court by members of Delta Force, a pro-NPP vigilante group.

The angry members of the group also succeeded in freeing 13-menbers of their group remanded into prison custody following an attack on Ashanti Regional Security Coordinator, George Agyei.

Delta Force 13 fined

The 13 members of Delta Force who stormed the Ashanti Regional Security Council and attacked a public officer, were fined GHc 1,800 each or in default, serve 12 months imprisonment.

The accused persons pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit crimes and rioting at the Asokwa District Court in Kumasi.

They were also made to sign a bond to be of good behavior for 12 months.

The 13 were arrested after they stormed the office of the newly appointed Ashanti Regional Security Coordinator, George Adjei, in March 2017, and assaulted him in the process, in protest against his appointment.

 

Ghana News : NDC News and General News