The Minority Caucus
The minority caucus in Parliament has called on President John Mahama to take urgent action the electoral violence which marred the recently held Ablekuma North parliamentary elections.
They also called for action on what they described as an escalating environmental emergency caused by illegal mining, known locally as galamsey.
In a statement submitted to the Presidency and invoking Chapter 6 of the 1992 Constitution, the Caucus cited multiple violent incidents at polling stations including St. Peter’s Society Methodist Church, Awoshie DVLA, and Asiedu Gyedu Memorial School.
Among those reportedly assaulted were former Ministers Mavis Hawa Koomson and Dakoa Newman, as well as parliamentary candidate Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie.
The Minority further condemned what it called the “public glorification of violence” by senior government appointees Dr Hanna Bissiw, CEO of the Minerals Development Fund, and Malik Basintale, Acting CEO of the Youth Employment Agency whose public statements according to the Minority were said to endorse and even celebrate the violence and called for their immediate dismissal.
They are also demanding the arrest and prosecution of all individuals involved in the attacks.
Other demands include, “An independent investigation into the Ghana Police Service, specifically implicating Chief Superintendent Fredrick Lumor Senanu. A Presidential apology to victims and a strong public condemnation of the violence and the establishment of a Commission of Inquiry under Article 278 to probe the incidents and recommend reforms.”
Galamsey
The minority, citing verified data from A Rocha Ghana and Global Forest Watch, pointed to a 17% increase in river turbidity and a 9% loss in forest cover in just six months, due to galamsey activities.
The Minority thus demamded a declaration of a national state of emergency in illegal mining zones, the repeal of Legislative Instrument 2462, said to have enabled galamsey operations, prosecution of all government and party officials found complicit and the creation of an Independent Multi-Stakeholder Commission to monitor anti-galamsey efforts among others.
With a pending by-election on the horizon, the Caucus warned that failure to address these issues would not only risk further violence but also entrench impunity and environmental collapse.