Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak
Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, has condemned the violent incidents during the Ablekuma North Constituency re-run, vowing that all the perpetrators will be arrested and prosecuted irrespective of their political affiliation.
According to him, all the video evidence gathered from the scene have been handed over to the Inspector General of Police, and investigations are underway to identify the troublemakers.
“I have spoken to the IGP firmly on all the happenings of Ablekuma North, and the videos have been forwarded to him. We’ve instructed him to act swiftly and bring the perpetrators to book,” the Minister said during the Government Accountability Series at the Jubilee House yesterday.
A re-run of votes in 19 polling stations in Ablekuma North last Friday was marred with pockets of violence and disturbances in some polling stations, resulting in the EC temporarily suspending voting in some polling stations.
Former Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Mavis Hawa Koomson and the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Deputy National Organiser, Chris Lloyd Nii Kwei Asamoah, were physically assaulted by a group of people allegedly belonging to the National Democratic Congress (NDC). A journalist was also assaulted by a police officer.
Various individuals and groups have condemned the barbaric incident and have called for swift action to punish the perpetrators of the violence.
The NDC’s parliamentary candidate, Ewurabena Aubynn, was declared the winner after narrowly defeating the NPP’s Nana Akua Afriyie, who decided to contest the re-run despite the party boycotting it.
Condemnation
The Interior Minister has added his voice to the condemnation and promised to ensure all those involved face the law, indicating that “We are not going to condone wrongdoing, whether it involves people from within our party or from outside going around to do the untoward.”
Mohammed-Mubarak used the occasion to reiterate the Interior Ministry’s commitment to seize every opportunity presented to it towards executing its mandate, plans, programmes, and ensuring peace and security for the good people of Ghana.
The Minister also described the violent incident as a scar on the conscience of all Ghanaians, stating that “as a people who have practised democracy for over three decades, we can’t simply just go and have elections and it be violence-free.”
He further used the occasion to remind the public about the Vigilantism and Related Offences Act, 2019 (Act 999), which outlawed thuggery.
“For all the groups, whether you are in the NDC, whether you are in the NPP, whether you are independent, let me remind you of the Vigilante Act and what it says… I want to remind all of us, including myself, that if anybody organises this, this is what awaits you,” he said.
Mohammed-Mubarak also touched on the attack on a journalist and indicated that the said police officer who has since been interdicted, is known.
“We know where he is, we know where we can find him, and we can easily go after him,” he indicated.
He also used the occasion to urge all Ghanaians to play their roles in maintaining peace in the country, stating that “We must all contribute our quota in ensuring that we live peacefully with each other regardless of gender, religion, ethnic origin, or economic or social status.”
BY Gibril Abdul Razak