National Security Coordinator, Osman Abdul-Razak, has called for the strict, impartial and professional enforcement of the Vigilantism and Related Offences Act, 2019 (Act 999), warning that political vigilantism remains a threat to Ghana’s national security and democratic stability.
He said although Ghana had made progress in reducing the visibility of organised vigilante groups since the passage of Act 999, the country could not afford to assume that the threat had been completely eliminated.
Mr Abdul-Razak made the call in a keynote address at a national policy dialogue on the implementation of Act 999 and its implications for national security and democratic governance.
The dialogue brought together government officials, political party representatives, members of Parliament and the Judiciary, security and intelligence officials, traditional and religious leaders, civil society organisations, youth groups and the media.
According to the National Security Coordinator, the Act was enacted in response to growing concerns over political vigilantism, which had evolved from informal party youth mobilisation into organised groups with uniforms, command structures and, in some instances, weapons.
He stressed that election-related violence was not merely a law-and-order challenge but a direct threat to democratic governance, public confidence and the peaceful transfer of political power.
“Any group that purports to assume powers outside the constitutional framework, be it by guarding ballot boxes, undertaking armed patrols, seizing property, detaining persons or intimidating communities, is a direct threat to lawful state authority,” he said.
Mr Abdul-Razak noted that Act 999 prohibits the creation, organisation, recruitment, training, arming, funding and support of vigilante groups for political activities.
He, however, emphasised that the legislation should not be interpreted as a ban on legitimate youth participation in political activities, stressing that political parties could continue to mobilise young people peacefully and lawfully.
Assessing the implementation of the law seven years after its passage, the National Security Coordinator identified the decline in the public visibility of organised vigilante formations as one of the key achievements.
He said election security planning had also improved, while public awareness of vigilantism and the provisions of Act 999 had increased through civic education and sustained media attention.
However, he cautioned against mistaking the reduced visibility of such groups for their complete eradication.
He disclosed that some groups were allegedly rebranding themselves as internal security teams, volunteer task forces or community security initiatives, while others had moved into less visible networks.
“Mobilisation has moved online on social media, encrypted chats, local disputes, private security arrangements or other informal channels,” he noted.
He also acknowledged concerns over limited prosecutions and delays in some legal processes but insisted that the existence of the law should serve as a deterrent.
“The law must be consistently and fairly enforced,” he stressed.
Mr Abdul-Razak identified the depoliticisation of enforcement as critical to maintaining public confidence in Act 999.
He said enforcement decisions relating to political vigilantism must be guided by intelligence assessments, evidence and professional judgement rather than partisan considerations.
He called for standardised enforcement protocols, evidence-based investigations, transparent accountability mechanisms and professional protection for security personnel from informal political interference.
According to him, preventive measures must also begin well before election campaigns officially commence.
He proposed early intelligence mapping, stakeholder engagement, youth engagement and civic education, active monitoring of political mobilisation, targeted preventive operations and rapid-response mechanisms as part of a comprehensive approach to preventing election-related violence.
The National Security Coordinator further called for stronger coordination among Ghana’s security and governance institutions to detect and prevent political violence.
He said the National Security Secretariat, Ghana Police Service, Ghana Armed Forces, Ghana Immigration Service, Ghana Prisons Service, Bureau of National Intelligence, National Commission for Civic Education, Electoral Commission and other relevant institutions must work within their respective constitutional mandates.
He advocated real-time intelligence sharing, joint risk assessments, coordinated operations, shared communication channels, simulation exercises and unified command arrangements where operationally necessary.
He also cautioned private security companies and community security groups against assuming coercive powers reserved for state security institutions.
“Community participation must be strengthened lawfully by state authority, not substitute it,” he said.
Mr Abdul-Razak stressed that combating political vigilantism could not be left to security agencies alone, urging political parties, traditional authorities, religious leaders, civil society, the media and citizens to play their respective roles.
He called on security agencies to maintain professional neutrality, political parties to mobilise responsibly, traditional leaders to strengthen conflict prevention and religious leaders to provide moral leadership.
He also urged the media to promote responsible, accurate and calm reporting, warning that inflammatory reporting could contribute to escalating political tensions.
The National Security Coordinator appealed particularly to Ghana’s youth to channel their energy and talents into national development rather than organised political violence.
He said the ultimate objective should be a peaceful and inclusive Ghana where citizens are not excluded from national development because of their background, region, religion, ethnicity, education or social status.
Mr Abdul-Razak outlined five priorities for strengthening the implementation of Act 999: neutral enforcement, early prevention, intelligence-led security, real-time coordination and public confidence.
He said these measures would help ensure that the law achieved its intended purpose of protecting citizens and strengthening Ghana’s democratic institutions.
Concluding his address, he said Ghana’s reputation as a stable democracy must not be sacrificed for short-term partisan interests.
“The enduring success of Act 999 will not only be measured by the disappearance of vigilante groups, but by how it protects Ghanaians equally by ensuring that institutions act professionally so that democracy prevails peacefully,” he said.
He assured that the National Security Council Secretariat would remain a reliable partner in efforts to protect Ghana’s democratic gains and strengthen public confidence in state security institutions.
