No political scientist on Short Commission worrying – Gyampo

A Political Science lecturer with the University of Ghana, Professor Ransford Gyampo has raised questions about the composition of the Justice Emile Short-led Commission of Inquiry set up to probe the 31 January 2019 Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election violence.

According to him, vigilantism is a political problem and not a legal one, hence the exclusion of a political scientist from the commission defeats the purpose of investigative body.

Speaking to Class News Ibrahim Obeng Mensah, Prof Gyampo said: “The commission of inquiry is good even though I have my qualms with the composition of the commission that has been set up. The composition is quite narrow.

“Vigilantism is a political problem, its not a legal problem and, so, to set up a commission of inquiry that has all lawyers in my view is first of all a non-starter. It should have had a political scientist who is well socialised and groomed in Ghanaian political history and Ghanaian politics so that they would tell the story of the political angle and how it could be resolved.

“I admit it was a desperate situation and government had to be seen to be doing something so they quickly put together that commission.”

Some masked national security operatives shot and wounded supporters of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) at the private residence of the NDC’s candidate about an hour into the by-election on Thursday, 31 January 2019.

Some civilians were also beaten up, including a Member of Parliament (MP), Mr Sam George. He was slapped in the melee in the full glare of some police officers.

Government set up the three-member commission of inquiry to probe the shooting incidence.

Former Commissioner of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Justice Emile Short is the Chairman of the Commission.

Legal expert Prof Henrietta Mensa Bonsu and Mr Patrick K. Acheampong, a former IGP, are members of the Commission.