Ghana: Information on the People's Militia

Information on this subject is scarce.

According to a professor at the Political Sciences Department of the State University of New York, College of Fredonia, the People's Militia was originally formed under the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) government to supplement the police and the army (29 Jan. 1992). The professor added that it is a voluntary organization (voluntary membership) recruited from the civilian population (Ibid.). Members of the People's Militia sometimes wear uniforms but are not armed (Ibid.). (Contradicting information is given in an article in the BBC: Summary of World Broadcasts 26 June 1984.) The professor of the State University further reported that this militia operates mainly in and around urban areas but not close to border areas (Ibid.). The People's Militia has also been used as a political instrument, mainly to counter demonstrations which occur in urban areas (Ibid.). Although the source was able to indicate that in the town of Tema this organization is controlled by the District Secretary, it is not clear whether the People's Militia is operating under a central command (Ibid.). An Associate Professor at the University of Toronto stated that the People's Militia is an organization used by the present government for political control and propaganda (13 Jan. 1992). This source added that their official role is to assist the government in the implementation of its economic policies and to curb corruption (Ibid.). There is an ambiguity regarding the date of the creation of the People's Militia, but the source suggested that it may be 1984 or 1985 (Ibid.).

According to a professor and specialist of Ghana at the Department of Africana Studies at Wayne State University in Detroit, originally the People's Militia was expected to be an organization of armed citizens however, this objective ultimately failed (15 Jan. 1992). One of the functions of the People's Militia is related to security, i.e. the control of smuggling activities (Ibid.). This source estimated that the idea of the People's Militia began to surface in 1982 (Ibid.).

A representative at the Ghana Refugee Union of Québec stated that the People's Militia still exists and its members dress like army soldiers (17 Jan. 1992). The members of the People's Militia are entitled to make arrests like policemen (Ibid.).

For further information please refer to the attached documents.

Bibliography

State University of New York, Political Sciences Department, College of Fredonia. 29 January 1992. Telephone Interview with a Representative.

The University of Toronto. 13 January 1992. Telephone Interview with an Associate Professor.

Wayne State University, Department of Africana Studies, Detroit. 15 January 1992. Telephone Interview with a Professor.

Ghana Refugee Union of Québec. 17 January 1992. Telephone Interview with a Representative.

Attachments

BBC: Summary of World Broadcasts. 9 February 1985. "Proposals for Reorganization of Revolution Defence Committee". (Nexis)

. 26 June 1984. "First Armed Militia Group in Ghana." (Nexis)

. 30 June 1983. "The Conditions for Establishing a People's Militia in Ghana." (Nexis)

. 24 June 1983. "Ghana: Comment on the Lessons of the 19th June Events." (Nexis)

. 26 January 1988. Ghana Anti-Smuggling State of Emergency Declared Near Togo Border." (Nexis)

Inter Press Service. 28 August 1991. Ofori, Ruby. "Ghana: Market Women Win the Day." (Nexis)

. 31 August 1988. Ameyibor, Edward. "Ghana: Government Moves to Stop Ritual Murders." (Nexis)

People's Daily Graphic. 27 May 1987. "Tehn-Addy Explains the Role of CDO's."

The Xinhua General Overseas News Service. 12 January 1991. "Ghanaians March for Peace in the Gulf." (Nexis)

West Africa. 15-21 July 1991. "Dateline: District News"

. 26 March-1 April 1990. "Dateline: CDO's Role"

. 5-11 June 1989. "Dateline: CDO Recruits in Bawku"

. 17-23 April 1989. "Dateline: Militia Warned"

. 27 August-2 September 1990. "Dateline: Militia Warned"