Ayawaso Probe: 2 Petition President

Justice Emile Short

TWO GHANAIAN citizens have petitioned President Akufo-Addo to expand the terms of reference of the Justice Emile Short’s Commission of Inquiry probing the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election shooting incident.

The two, Eric Nartey Yeboah and Yussif Ibrahim Bangsua have prayed the President include other by-elections held in the past which were characterized by violence.

In their 11 points petition to the president sighted by DGN Online, the petitioners expressed doubt about the ability of the commission to nib elections violence in the bud given the terms of reference of the commission.

The petitioners made references to the Wulensi, Talensi, Akwatia and Atiwa by-elections as the foundation of by-elections violence in Ghana and they need to be part of the terms of reference of the commission in order to be able to deal with the root cause of by-elections violence in Ghana.

According to the petitioners, victims of the previous by-elections have been gravely discriminated against much as the perpetrators have also been left unpunished.

“It is in the interest of the State, unity and peace to end all elections related violence and that’s why setting up a commission of inquiry is critical in the circumstances but the limited nature of the terms of reference of the commission would leave the country more injured than healed,” they said.

The three-member Commission will continue its public sittings into the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election shootings today.

The shooting incident left six persons injured on Thursday, January 31, 2019.

BY Jamila Akweley Okertchiri & Melvin Tarlue