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 Braggadocios Bryan 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.
Source: The Independent Ghana