Ayawaso West Wuogon violence: Report will be damning; I expect a cover up – Sam George

Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram Constituency, Samuel Nartey George says the Akufo-Addo government is likely to conceal details of the Emile Short Commission of inquiry into the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election violence since it will be a damning indictment on them, ABC News can report.

Government set up a commission of inquiry to probe the January 31 by-election violence at the Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency.

Two months after the inquiry, the commission, led by Justice Emile Short, presented its findings to President Akufo-Addo after weeks of investigations and public hearing of officials and residents who were involved in the chaos. However, the content of the report is yet to be made known despite series of actions by the opposition NDC aimed at piling pressure on government to make the document public.

According to the National Democratic Congress legislator who was one of the persons probed during the inquiry, the Akufo-Addo administration’s lack of willingness to release the content of the report despite the numerous calls suggests it is avoiding being incriminated.

Speaking on Accra based Citi FM, Sam George stated that after exceeding the six-month duration within which the President may decide to keep the content of the report unknown, he will not be surprised should the government choose not to reveal the details at all.

“This government has not shown any willingness to show transparency in issues relating to Ayawaso West Wuogon commission of inquiry chaired by Justice Emile Short. We asked for the report to be made public and we were told that the President has six months’ duration. I personally don’t expect government to release the report, I expect a cover-up, I expect that we will put pressure over the next few days for government to come out to tell us that the President is exercising his prerogative not to make that report public.”

“This is because, I believe the report is going to be very damning on the National Security apparatus, the kind of architecture that has been run under government and the illegal actions of the hooligans who were given state security apparatus to perpetrate violence. I believe that in the next one week, I will be vindicated that government is going to carry out a cover-up”, he said.