Human rights activist, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, has raised serious concerns about the increasing instances of political violence in Ghana, particularly the mobilisation of individuals to attack party offices in response to political dissatisfaction.

During an interview on JoyNews’ Newsfile, Barker-Vormawor criticised politicians who, he claims, are complicit in fueling such actions by allowing individuals to be mobilised for these attacks.

He expressed his disappointment over the continued trend, emphasising that it is time for this practice to stop.

“What is disappointing to me is that politicians are continuing to allow the mobilising of individuals to attack party offices and things like that, because people have been left out of office,” he said, expressing his frustration over how such actions, describing them as becoming normalised.

Barker-Vormawor pointed out that there are certain individuals behind these violent acts, who are organising and encouraging young people to participate.

According to him, the source of these actions is not organic but orchestrated by people with vested political interests.

He went on to stress that criminal accountability should extend beyond the individuals directly involved in these violent acts, urging that those who bankroll and orchestrate these movements must also be held responsible.

“A lot of people know who are behind them, mobilising young people to do this. Criminal accountability should not only extend to the individuals involved, but some of the people who are bankrolling and moving, it has to stop,” Barker-Vormawor declared.

Barker-Vormawor, who has a long history of political activism and mobilization, explained that such acts of violence are not spontaneous.

“I have done mobilisation for a long time, people don’t just stand up and mass up,” he pointed out. He used his experience to highlight that it’s not easy to mobilise large groups of people, as many assume.

He noted that even with his vast network, it’s not as simple as declaring an event and expecting 100 people to show up without a well-organized structure behind it.