Implement recommendations by Short Commission before December polls – GACC to Akufo-Addo

The Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) has urged the Akufo-Addo led administration to hasten the implementation process of the recommendations made by the Emile Short Commission a year after the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election violence.

It would be recalled that a Commission of Inquiry led by Justice Emile Short was tasked to investigate the causes of the violence that marred the by-election on January 31, 2019, and find probable solutions to prevent similar future occurrence.

The Commission of Inquiry subsequently presented their findings to the president after which government issued a White Paper in that regard. But a year after the incident, the group has noted with concern that not much has been done about implementing the recommendations made by the Short Commission.

At a press briefing Friday, January 31, 2020, Communications Officer of the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition, Faustina Djabatey said the country has come a long way in the practice of democracy thus the implementation of the recommendations would go a long way.

“Whilst we acknowledge the president’s good decision of setting up the commission of enquiry to investigate the violence and the good work by the commission, our worry has to do with the implementation of key recommendations. Not much has been heard of implementation after the government issued its White Paper on the Commission of Inquiry’s report. The culture of impunity related to electoral violence persists because the culprits are not made to face the full rigours of the law,” she said.

She, however, called on the government to, with a matter of urgency, put some stringent measures in place to hold both political parties and individuals accountable to their actions, as regards national peace.

Outlining what the coalition considers as useful measures to curb vigilantism, she emphasised that government must amongst other things… “allow the state security agencies with responsibilities during elections to undertake their duty without influence…Political parties should not incite their supporters to be violent but rather support the state institutions to do their work and channel complains and grievances to the appropriate quarter. Remind state security institutions that they serve at the pleasure of the people. They should resist partisan influence…”