Chaos erupted at the Yendi Municipal Assembly meeting as assembly members resorted to violence over the election of a Presiding Member (PM).
Chairs and punches were thrown when the recount of votes sparked conflict.
A viral video showed assembly members lifting chairs and attempting to hurl them at opponents.
The chaos led to the destruction of electoral materials needed for the PM election.
According to reports, the situation could have escalated further if not for police intervention, as neither side showed any signs of retreating.
The election of a PM has been a contentious issue, with members failing to elect a candidate after five previous attempts.
In the recent vote, Yakubu Fuseini received 22 votes, Alhassan Inusah Achiri got 21 votes, and one ballot was rejected, leaving both short of the required two-thirds majority.
Municipal Coordinating Director Mohammed Akalifa condemned the violence, stating that the failure to elect a PM was hindering the assembly’s smooth administration.
A former Managing Director of Tema Oil Refinery, Asante Kwaku Berko, who was accused of bribing Ghanaian government officials through the U.S. financial system, has reportedly been extradited from the United Kingdom to the United States.
According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New a former Ghanaian-American banker, York, Kwaku Berko, has been indicted for allegedly violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and money laundering. He is accused of bribing Ghanaian government officials to secure a power plant deal and laundering the payments through the U.S. financial system.
The press release, available on the U.S. Department of Justice website, indicated that Berko arrived in the U.S. on Monday and is scheduled to be arraigned in federal court in Brooklyn today before Magistrate Judge Lois Bloom.
The extradition of Kwaku Berko was announced by U.S. officials, including Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Nicole M. Argentieri, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Head of the Criminal Division; and Christie M. Curtis, Acting Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI).
U.S. Attorney Breon Peace confirmed the charges against Berko, stating, “As alleged, the defendant bribed Ghanaian government officials to secure a lucrative development contract relying on the US banking system to execute his scheme. My Office is committed to rooting out bribery and other criminal practices that create inequities in the playing field for business both here and abroad and exploit the US banking system.”
Acting FBI Assistant Director Curtis emphasized that while the crimes were not against the U.S., the FBI would not allow the misuse of their financial system.
“For over two years, Asante Berko, a dual citizen of the US and Ghana, allegedly bribed Ghanaian government officials to monopolise a promising business deal and used United States bank accounts to transfer such kickbacks. Financially influencing decision-makers, including those overseas, jeopardises the integrity of affected countries while creating an unfair advantage to those promoting the bribery scheme. The FBI will not permit citizens, regardless of their nationality, to obtain corrupt contracts by exploiting foreign countries and utilising our nation to facilitate the movement of unlawful payments,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Curtis,” he is quoted in the statement.
The release further indicated that Berko conspired to pay hundreds of thousands in bribes to Ghanaian government officials between approximately December 2014 and March 2017.
It also noted that Berko is presumed innocent until proven guilty by the courts. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for conspiring to commit money laundering and five years in prison for each count of violating the FCPA and conspiring to violate the FCPA.
Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has as a matter of urgency, called on the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to finalise its investigations into the 2020 electoral violence and sanction the respective offenders.
According to Mr Ablakwa in a Facebook post on Wednesday, April 12, 2023, addressing past electoral violence would prevent a recurrence, particularly when tension is building up ahead of the 2024 elections.
“When CHRAJ and other institutions show patriotic courage by eventually taking action on the 2020 gruesome killings, they will be helping to prevent an escalation in 2024,” he wrote.
He noted that “the international community is deeply worried particularly about unresolved killings and alarming levels of corruption in Ghana” as captured in the 2022 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices published by the U.S. Department of State.
The report highlights the 2020 election killings and how none of the investigations officials announced have been completed, and no perpetrator has been brought to justice.
For Mr Ablakwa, this is significantly troubling as Ghana prepares for another round of presidential and parliamentary elections next year.
Venting his spleen, the North Tongu MP also chastised President Akufo-Addo for his inability to publicly condemn the loss of lives during the previous elections, as well as commiserate with the bereaved families – arguing that his silence has emboldened several others to make statements that derail Ghana’s democracy.
“President Akufo-Addo has heartlessly refused to make any public comment on the killings or commiserate with grieving families even though it occurred under his watch as Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces and even though he was the greatest beneficiary of that bloody election” he said.
Mr Ablakwa also took a swipe at the Member of Parliament for Abetifi, Bryan Acheampong, for his recent comment over the weekend that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) will hold on to power at all cost.
“The likes of BraggadociosBryan Acheampong to (have) lawlessly promise(d) more violence and mayhem during the 2024 election. And as was predicted, the security services have been toothless, helpless and hapless following the now infamous incendiary war mongering statements from the Cabinet Minister,” he bemoaned.
Mr Acheampong’s comments have brought divided opinions from the NPP and opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and compelled the National Peace Council to hold a meeting with the political parties over comments inciting violence.
It is in view of this that Mr Ablakwa has charged CHRAJ to expedite investigations into electoral violence that ensued in areas such as Tamale, Techiman, Odorkor, Ablekuma, Savelugu, last two years – leaving about eight people dead.
In 2021, Mr Ablakwa and MP for Ellembelle, Emmanuel Armah Buah, petitioned CHRAJ to look into the unfortunate incident.
It has been two years and the Commission is yet to provide their findings to the general public.
