The Vigilantism and Related Offences Bill, 2019, has been laid in Parliament today under a Certificate of Urgency by the Minister for Justice and Attorney General, Miss Gloria Akuffo.
The Bill, accompanied by a Memorandum, explains the need for its establishment, to disband political vigilantism.
The Bill after the First Reading, was referred to the Parliamentary Select Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs for consideration and report to the Plenary for subsequent determination.
Mr. Haruna Iddrisu, the Minority leader has said that Article 106(2b) of the Constitution stipulates that the Bill ought to have been gazetted before being laid on the floor.
The Tamale South MP noted at the Plenary that the Bill should not be rushed through for passage under a Certificate of Urgency and added that Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) must be given the opportunity to make their inputs on the Bill before passing it into law.
Mr. Iddrisu highlighted that the Ayawaso West Wuogon report should be published, and added that it is not a good sign for effective democracy.
Quoting order 119 of the Standing Orders of Parliament, the Speaker of Parliament, Professor Mike Oquaye, in his ruling stated that in the Communication of the Attorney General to the House, the Bill is supposed to be treated with urgency, and such determination should be the sole mandate of the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee.
Order 119 of the Standing Orders of Parliament states that “where it is determined and certified by the appropriate Committee of the House appointed in that behalf, that a particular Bill is of an urgent nature, that Bill may be introduced without publication. Copies of the Bill shall be distributed to Members and may be taken through all its stages in one day”.
The object of the Vigilantism and Related Offences Bill, 2019 is to among other issues, disband political vigilante groups and proscribe acts of vigilantism in the country.
It also creates offences specific to political party vigilante groups, the phenomenon of land guards and other acts of vigilantism
Source: GhanaJustice/S.Ayisi
