Killings in 2020 polls cannot slide, prosecute those involved – Ablakwa

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Member of Parliament for North Tongu

The Member of Parliament for North Tongu Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has said the atrocities that were recorded in the 2020 presidential and parliamentary polls cannot be allowed to slide or be seen as normal.

The MP who has joined Ellembelle MP Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah to petition the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to investigate the death of some seven persons and those who got injured, said it would be good for CHRAJ to live up to their constitutional mandate.

He said the death and injuries recorded during the elections is unacceptable, and those who perpetuated these ”gross human rights violations’ ought to be brought to justice.

Mr. Ablakwa lamented that the affected victims and their families had not been compensated.

In his view, a culture of impunity will emerge if those behind the act are not prosecuted.

Also, the next elections would be threatened, and our democracy undermined should the violent acts be left unaddressed.

He asked CHRAJ to rise to their constitutional mandate and deal with the matter.

The Petition

The MPs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, North Tongu constituency and Emmanuel Kofi Buah, Ellembelle constituency filed the petition against the Minister of the Interior, the Minister of Defence as well as the Ghana Police Service and the Ghana Armed Forces.

“The Minister for the Interior is the appointee of His Excellency the President of the Republic of Ghana and has oversight responsibility for the Ghana Police service”.

“The Minister of Defence is the appointee of His Excellency the President of the Republic of Ghana and has oversight responsibility for the Ghana Armed Forces.”

“The Inspector-General of the Ghana Police Service is by virtue of article 202 of the 1992 Constitution, the head of the Police Service ‘responsible for the operational control’ and ‘the administration of the Police Service.

“The Chief of Defence Staff is by virtue of article 213 of the 1992 Constitution, responsible for the operational control and command of the Ghana Armed Forces. During the general elections held in the Republic of Ghana in or about December 7, 2020, the Ghana Police Service and the Ghana Armed Forces established a National Election Security Taskforce (NESTF) to support the effort to ensure smooth and transparent conduct of the said elections. This was necessary for the purposes of safeguarding the democratic values and principles of free and fair elections”.

“This effort was also necessary to provide citizens of the Republic of Ghana including voters with security during the conduct of the elections. Apart from the NESTF, there were other members of the Police Service and Ghana Armed Forces who played diverse roles during the period of the 2020 Presidential and Parliamentary elections.”

“The complaint is restricted to the Techiman South, Odododiodio, Ablekuma Central, and Savelugu constituencies in the Bono East, Greater Accra and Northern Regions of the Republic of Ghana respectively.”