The Opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) is running away from the vigilante group it reportedly formed recently.
The party’s General Secretary Johnson Asiedu Nketia has emphatically stated that the NDC has not formed or officially launched any vigilante group by name ‘The Hawks,’ and so “the rumours should be ignored.”
These guys, mostly heavily-built, are seen during the NDC’s so-called ‘unity walks’ being spearheaded by former President John Dramani Mahama throughout the country.
So far, they have been seen partaking in the walks in both Kumasi and Bolgatanga, wearing black T-shirts with the inscription, ‘The Hawks’ boldly written at the back.
The Hawks
DAILY GUIDE last week Monday published a story with the headline, ‘Mahama Outdoors NDC Hawks,’ following the emergence of the group during the walk in Kumasi, the Ashanti regional capital.
In the story, it was captured that The Hawks is a new NDC vigilante group, which has been formed by the party, especially, ex-President Mahama, ahead of the 2020 polls – which the NDC considers very crucial.
The story also stated how Mr. Mahama felt comfortable as he was being protected by The Hawks, while moving on the streets of Kumasi with his party members.
After the publication, several political pundits descended heavily on the NDC for the motive behind the formation of The Hawks, especially at a time that Ghanaians have strongly kicked against political vigilante groups.
Yamoah Ponkoh, a leading member of the NDC, justified the presence of the group when he said it was going to be used to protect the party’s leaders during the campaigns and also added that the group is an answer to the ruling NPP’s Invincible Forces.
Asiedu Nketia
Commenting on the issue, Mr. Asiedu Nketia stated that officially the NDC had not outdoored any vigilante group with the name ‘The Hawks.’
“Where did the NDC officially launch a vigilante group with the name The Hawk?” he asked on Nhyira FM in Kumasi, saying that there is no such group in the NDC’s records.
He asked again, “Did you see us standing on the stage to officially launch a group by the name The Hawks?” According to him, the ‘unity walk’ is open to everybody and therefore, several groups freely joined the exercise in Kumasi.
“Several groups, who are feeling the economic heat under the NPP administration, joined us to walk in Kumasi. I saw the head porters and other groups so The Hawks may be one of such groups.
“I even saw another group with T-shirts, with an inscription, ‘The Heart of NDC’ and several others,” he stated.