Four NPP MPs file motion for electoral violence probe from 1993 till 2020

Four Majority Members of Parliament (MPs) have tabled two Private Members' motions for Parliament to investigate alleged interferences by some members of the security agencies and some vigilante groups before, during and after presidential and parliamentary election since 1993.

They claim that such interferences resulted in injuries and loss of lives, and are, therefore, asking the House to make consequential recommendations.

They also want the House to investigate the ethnic, gender, regional and other sectional backgrounds of persons recruited into the security forces since January 1993 to establish the level of ethnic, regional and gender balance in the recruitment and appointment to such public offices, and make the appropriate recommendations.

The MPs are the Deputy Majority Leader, Mr Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin; the Majority Chief Whip, Mr Frank Annoh-Dompreh; the MP for Abuakwa South, Mr Samuel Atta Akyea, and the MP for Akuapem South, Mr Osei Bonsu Amoah.

Counter

The motions are counter to two other Private Members' motions initiated by six Minority Members of Parliament.

The Minority MPs, in their motion, want the House to investigate acts of violence that occurred in the 2020 general election.

They also want the House to probe inappropriate interferences by some members of the state security which led to injuries and the loss of seven lives during the presidential and parliamentary polls.

The Minority MPs are the Minority Leader, Mr Haruna Iddrisu; the MP for Asawase, Alhaji Mohammed-Muntaka Muntaka; the MP for Bawku Central, Mr Mahama Ayariga; the MP for North Tongu, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa; the MP for Tamale North, Mr Suhuyini Alhassan and the MP for Builsa North, Mr James Agalga.

Deceased

The Minority MPs identified the seven persons who lost their lives as Tajudeen Alhassan (39 years), Abdallah Ayaric (18), Emmanuel Dompreh (36), Samira Zakaria (36), Ibrahim Abass (30), Rita Otoo (15) and Fuseini Musah (14).

According to the police, there were 61 recorded cases of electoral and post-electoral violence across the country.

It indicated that 21 of the incidents were true cases of electoral violence, six of which involved gunshots.

Call for probe

Earlier on March 15 this year, some MPs called for the setting up of a commission of enquiry to probe electoral violence in Ghana so as to help bring justice to those who have suffered excesses from the security agencies.

They said the commission would help determine those who perpetrated violence against Ghanaians and to ensure that they were punished to serve as a deterrent to others in the future.