The Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) has condemned the widespread incidents of vandalism and occupation of public facilities and offices by some individuals.
These incidents, CDD-Ghana observed, have occurred in the aftermath of the December 7, 2024, general elections and since the transition of power from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) on January 7, 2025.
In a strong-worded statement issued recently, CDD-Ghana expressed grave concern over the recurrence of post-election disorder and violence perpetrated by supporters of the victorious party, a pattern that has marred previous turnover elections during Ghana’s Fourth Republic.
The Center emphasised that while this unfortunate trend is not new, it remains unjustifiable and unacceptable.
"This pattern of post-election partisan hooliganism, if left unchecked and unpunished, risks becoming an entrenched and unsightly feature of our political culture. It undermines efforts to mitigate the winner-takes-all nature of our politics and poses a threat to the peace and stability of our Republic," the statement read.
Call to action
CDD-Ghana has called on law enforcement authorities to apply the laws of Ghana firmly to curb this growing menace. They urged the new government of President John Dramani Mahama to honour its commitment to resetting governance and politics in Ghana by sending a strong and unequivocal message that such disorderly conduct will no longer be tolerated.
"At the very least, the government must refrain from obstructing the leadership and personnel of the Ghana Police Service and other law enforcement bodies in lawfully dealing with those arrested for their involvement in recent or ongoing post-election hooliganism and vandalism," the Center added.
Recommendations
Drawing parallels with the successful mitigation of party-aligned political vigilantes through the Vigilantism and Related Offences Act of 2019, CDD-Ghana proposed that post-election partisan hooliganism should attract enhanced criminal penalties similar to those prescribed under the Vigilantism Act.
The Center recommended that future Transition Teams prioritise addressing and containing post-election violence as a crucial component of the transition process.
Progress, ongoing challenges
Despite these challenges, CDD-Ghana acknowledged the significant strides Ghana has made in building a stable democratic order. The peaceful conduct of the December 7, 2024, general elections highlights the steady progress achieved since the inception of the Fourth Republic in 1992. The Center called for continued efforts to improve the quality of democracy by ensuring that elections and their aftermath are free from violence and harm to individuals and property.
CDD-Ghana's statement serves as a clarion call to both the Government and the citizenry to uphold democratic principles and the rule of law, thereby fostering a peaceful and stable political environment in Ghana.
