Short Commission will conclude its work by Friday – Spokesperson

The Emile Short Commission investigating the violence that characterized the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election is confident of working within the time frame given it by President Akufo Addo.

Some civil society organization have urged the Commission to ask for more time amidst fears that the one month period given it would not be enough to carry out their task.

The commission per the one-month duration is expected to conclude its work on Friday, March 8, 2019.

The Spokesperson for the Commission, Catherine Wood in an interview was confident there was no cause for worry as the Commission will finish its work by the deadline date.

“I think it is important I have to emphasize again that in the wisdom of the mandate that was given to the Commissioners, they were given one month based on that the Commissioners have been able to look at all the evidence that they need to gather as well as the time it will take to work on the reportage. So far, we are working to the deadline which is coming up quite shortly, as you know we only had one month and I believe based on what they are very strongly working towards, we should be able to get through on the deadline date.”

Vice President of the Republic, Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, on February 8, sworn in the three-member Commission of Enquiry tasked to probe the events of violence which occurred during the by-election held in the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency on 31st January, 2019.

The Chairman of the Commission is Justice Emile Short, former head of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), the other members are Prof. Henrietta Mensah Bonsu, legal luminary and jurist, and Mr. Patrick K. Acheampong, former Inspector General of Police. Mr. Ernest Kofi Abotsi, former Dean of the Faculty of Law of GIMPA and a private legal practitioner, serves as Secretary to the Commission.

Terms of Reference of the Commission

The terms of reference of the Commission according to the statement that announced their appointment are; to make a full, faithful and impartial inquiry into the circumstances of, and establish the facts leading to, the events and associated violence during the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election on the 31st day of January 2019; to identify any person responsible for or who has been involved in the events, associated violence and injuries; to inquire into any matter which the Commission considers incidental or reasonably related to the causes of the events and the associated violence and injuries; and to submit within one month its report to the President giving reasons for its findings and recommendations, including appropriate sanctions, if any.

Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Sam George was assaulted by some persons suspected to be part of state security team who rode in the vehicle of the Ghana Police Service during the election at the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency.

Widely-circulated footage had the MP engaged in a heated verbal exchange with the personnel before two of them attacked him by unleashing a few doses of slaps.