President Akufo Addo has given the strongest indication yet that his government would not shield lawless members of the New Patriotic Party who keep drawing the government in bad light.
According to the president he has instructed state institutions mandated to deal with such issues including the judiciary not to renege on their responsibilities but deal decisively with all recalcitrant persons according to the law.
Speaking at the swearing in of the new Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo, the president used the opportunity to address the recent disturbances in Savelugu in the Northern region and such related vigilante activities where some party youth take the laws into their hands and misbehave.
The president said “to persons perpetrating lawlessness in the name of being members of the ruling party, let me make it clear to you that you will find no shield in my government from the law.”
He said “recent disturbances in Savelugu for example where allegedly handful of party executives and youth are trying to prevent the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) who has been duly appointment with the requisite approval of the Municipal Assembly from working are obviously unacceptable.
“I urge the police to do everything in their power to bring to book, all those who fall foul of the law. We cannot have development which will bring jobs to our youth without order.”
A delegation from the Flagstaff House on Monday June 19 went to Savelugu to gather information on why the youth are preventing the Municipal Chief Executive from going into her office several weeks after being sworn in.
The president further reiterated his commitment to fighting corruption and making it unattractive in the country by the setting up of the Office of the Special Prosecutor.
He said “with the office of the Special Prosecutor in the offing, to ensure the prosecution of public officials past and present who engage in acts of corruption and financial malfeasance, it is my expectation that the judiciary would help facilitate the work of this body.”
By Martin Asiedu-Dartey|3news.com|Ghana
Twitter: @NewsyMartin