He explained that the nation faced a contradiction of having once produced the world’s number one peace ambassador and also tolerating political vigilantism.

Mr Bombande, who is a senior UN Mediation Advisor, was amongst hundreds of diplomats, former ambassadors and dignitaries who thronged the Accra International Conference Centre on Wednesday to pay their last respect to the former Secretary General who died August 18, 2018.

He expressed disappointment over politicians who continue to sow seeds of hatred, rancour and division for the sake of winning a political competition.

His comments follow the National Democratic Congress (NDC) General Secretary Asiedu Nketia indicating that the party would not discourage its vigilante groups.

Mr Bombande noted that groups linked to the party in recent times are a natural response to the existence of groups affiliated to the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

The pro-NDC ‘macho’ men, the ‘Hawks’ emerged at the Ashanti regional congress in September, other groups include the ‘Dragons’ based in the Brong-Ahafo region and the ‘Lions’ based in the Eastern region.

Mr Bombande lamented that the NDC while in government watched on while the NPP formed groups like Delta Force based in the Ashanti region, Kandahar Boys based in the Northern region and the Invincible Forces based in the capital, Accra.

Delta Force invaded a court in Kumasi in April 2017 to free its members who were facing prosecution for acts of vandalism.

“Are you saying we on the NDC side, because we are good citizens we should keep quiet for the NPP to control the army, control police, control everybody and on top of that one organise party thugs to attack us?”, Asiedu Nketia said.

But Mr Bombande expressed alarm at the culture of political vigilantism adding that “Ghana must continue to be a beacon of democracy and peace.”

Urging civil society groups and religious groups to speak against political vigilantism in the country, stressing that “it is time to remove intolerance, remove vigilante groups from Ghana’s body politic.”  –myjoyonline.com