John Boadu
GENERAL SECRETARY of the ruling New Patriotic (NPP) has blamed the Ghana Police Service and the various national security agencies for electoral violence in the country.
He said the security agencies have not been firm and fair over the years and that has been one of the main reasons for the electoral violence.
According to him, there had been instances where the police service after serving as a mediator between the NPP and the NDC failed to insist on the agreed measures for the organization of some by-election and parliamentary election runoff such as in the case of Akwatia.
He was testifying before the Justice Emile Short Commission of Inquiry probing the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency by-election shooting incident on Monday.
Asked what can be done to address electoral violence in Ghana, he said, “there is the need for the security agencies to exert their authority, there is the need for them to be fair and firm.”
He cited an example where during one by-election after it was agreed for the NPP and NDC to organize their rallies on separate dates, the NDC decided to organize its rally on the same day with the NPP and the police failed to act.
He agreed that Ghana’s elections are characterized by violence to a large extend.
But he said “in my view, it is needless for it to happen in the first place.”
He however denied that Invincible Forces, Delta Forces and other vigilante groupings are owned and sponsored by the NPP.
He claimed that Invincible Forces was formed around the time some individuals felt that the state was not in the position to defend and protect the citizens.
He said the groups have sympathies for the NPP just like groups like Loyal Ladies, Ambassadors for Nana but are not officially owned by the party.
Commenting on the Ayawaso incident, he said he did not personally witnessed any violence on that day.
He said he heard of the La Bawaleshie Shooting incident on January 31, 2019 around 9:30am via radio and that “by the time I got there calm had returned.”
He could not tell whether the men dressed in black, khahi and mask on that day were members of pro-NPP Invincible Forces.
BY Melvin Tarlue