Human rights activist Oliver Barker-Vormawor has expressed concern over what he describes as the persistent practice of mobilizing individuals to attack party and public offices in response to dissatisfaction with political appointments.
He criticized politicians for allowing such actions to continue, emphasizing that these destructive behaviors are often organized and supported by influential figures behind the scenes.
Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile, Mr. Barker-Vormawor stated, “What is disappointing to me is that politicians are continuing to allow this, the mobilizing of individuals to attack party offices and things like that, because people have been left out of office.
“A lot of people know who are behind them, mobilizing young people to do this. Criminal accountability should not only extend to the individuals involved, but some of the people who are backing and moving them, it has to stop.”
He explained that these incidents are rarely spontaneous, as mobilizing large groups requires planning and organization.
“I have done mobilization for a long time, people don’t just stand up and mass up. I can’t declare even for myself and what we do declare here that meet me here tomorrow and 100 people will show up.
“It’s not going to work. There’s a process of calling up people and writing them and telling them this and that. And so let’s show up and do something,” he stated.
His comments come amid reports of unrest and property damage by party supporters in reaction to perceived neglect in the distribution of appointments under President John Mahama’s administration.
Mr. Barker-Vormawor also reminded the public that party offices are classified as public assets by law and under Supreme Court rulings, and the need to treat acts of vandalism as serious criminal offenses.
He called for stronger accountability measures to address these recurring issues and prevent further destruction of public property.
“If we are treating it as a normal criminal act, then investigative processes must be activated because it has happened so many times when we sweep it under the carpet.”
While acknowledging that disappointment over appointments is natural, he stated that such frustrations do not justify lawlessness.
“Everybody is entitled to be disappointed when not appointed to some process. But what you don’t have is the right to be able to take the law into your own hands in this matter. There’s no entitlement to it,” he said.