NPP condemns tribal politics
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- Parent Category: Our Country
- Category: Politics
- Created on Wednesday, 18 April 2012 00:00
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- Calls for an end to selective justice
The New Patriotic Party has condemned the recent spate of tribal politicking as well as the selective and partisan nature in which the laws of Ghana are being enforced.
According to the party, this unhealthy development is threatening to poison Ghana’s political environment in the run-up to the December presidential and parliamentary elections.Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, National Chairman of the NPP, expressed the sentiments yesterday in a statement issued in the wake of the arrest of the Member of Parliament for Assin North, Kennedy Agyepong, for an intemperate public statement he made in reaction to violence and intimidation being perpetrated in Odododiodio.
The NPP Chairman explained that the party was deeply concerned about the acts of violence, intimidation, inflammatory statements and other illegal acts that had characterised the ongoing biometric registration exercise, adding “our duty, as politicians is to keep Ghana peaceful, democratic and just for all her citizens”.
“The NPP makes it absolutely clear that we do not support intemperate statements and actions that can incite and inflame ethnic passions. Ghana is a proud multi-ethnic country and the NPP, a truly national party, is committed to jealously guard and promote this heritage,” Jake said.
The NPP Chairman also took a swipe at the selective and partisan manner in which the law is being enforced in the country, adding that the current posture of the Ghana Police Service posed a serious threat to the maintenance of peace and security nationwide.
Citing the example of the arrest of Kennedy Agyapong whilst Presidential Aide, Nii Lantey Vanderpuye is walking free, Jake said, “the arrest of the MP for Assin North is further evidence of this selective application of the law”, which is affecting public confidence in the Police.
The NPP Chairman maintained that for the police to take no action against the perpetrators of violence “but to suddenly discover their powers to take action against those, who in frustration, make statements in reaction to acts of violence and police inaction sends very worrying signals about the forthcoming general elections.”
“The Police Service must be professional and act without fear or favour,” he charged.
Jake added that the violence, intimidation and the apartheid manner in which the NDC parliamentary candidate for Odododiodio and a senior aide to the President, Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, has been conducting himself during this registration exercise is completely unacceptable.
Jake lamented about the fact that President Mills, in whose office Nii Lantey Vanderpuye works, is yet to take any action against these blatant acts of lawlessness, calling on the President “to be at the forefront in ensuring law and order.”
“His statement that he is not a police officer gives the unfortunate perception that the Commander-in Chief is distancing himself and his office from this all important responsibility,” Jake added.
The NPP Chairman urged supporters to be calm in the face of provocation, adding that the biometric registration exercise is about giving all Ghanaians voters an equal chance to decide, first, where they ‘ordinarily reside’ and, ultimately, on the future of their country on voting day.
“We applaud our party loyalists who have been defending these values and the integrity of the registration exercise in spite of the intimidation, violence, ethnic challenges they have faced. We encourage them to stay focused and be vigilant in monitoring the ongoing registration exercise. They should have courage and stay on the right side of the law”, Jake said.
Fiifi Arhin
Source: Statesmanonline.com
