It is not a big deal – Oppong Nkrumah defends Akufo-Addo on election deaths

Ghana’s Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has said criticisms aimed at President Akufo-Addo over his failure to speak about the casualties recorded through electoral related violence in the December general elections of 2020 during his end of term State of the Nation Address are being blown out of proportion.

The Minority in parliament following the president’s omission, have described it as insensitive and as confirming their allegations of violence and rigging perpetuated by the governing New Patriotic Party in the elections.

However, the Information Minister believes that the attention paid to the president’s omission in his speech on the floor of parliament is not necessary.

“Specific to the matter of whether or not he should have mentioned persons who lost their lives during the recently ran election, you will find people with different views on it. That for me itself is not even such a big deal,” the Minister expressed during a Joynews discussion monitored by GhanaWeb.

According to the Minister, the President prior to his speech on Tuesday, December 6, 2020, had on several occasions highlighted the incident of electoral violence and the resultant deaths amid ongoing concerted efforts by state security agencies to bring the perpetrators to book.

“I’m not sure that the President not specifically mentioning it takes away from the record of what has happened in times past,” the Minister added.

In cognisance of the president’s previous mentions of the matter and the efforts aimed at resolving them, Mr Oppong Nkrumah said he believes the President’s inability to mention the deaths recorded during his last address to the nation’s 7th Parliament does not merit a storm in a teacup.

In all, six persons died across the country in election related violence during the December polls.

The opposition National Democratic Congress since the declaration of the presidential election in favour of NPP Candidate Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has accused the government and the ruling party of using state security to perpetuate the violence that resulted in the killings.

Speaking on the same programmne with the Information Minister, NDC Member of Parliament for Tamale North, Alhassan Suhuyini ruled out the possibility of an oversight on the part of the president during his address.

He stated that the president’s mention of the matter if he had done so, would have served as some form of consolation for the families of the deceased.

“These are people who are breadwinners who are looked up to in their families with a lot of expectations… Even if the President didn’t mean it would have just been appropriate for him to commiserate with the family and give them the assurance that it will be investigated thoroughly and the culprits if found, will be dealt with,” he said.