Ayawaso Violence: Commission Ends Public Hearings

The Commission which was established by President Akufo-Addo to probe the violence that characterised at the Ayawaso by-election in January this year has round up its public sitting today March 8, 2019.

The Commission had since February 14, 2019, been probing the circumstances that led to the violence that marred the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election held on January 31, 2019.

The Commission was chaired by a former Commissioner of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Justice Emile Short.

Legal expert Prof Henrietta Mensah Bonsu and Mr Patrick K. Acheampong, a former IGP, were members of the Commission. The Commission was given a month to submit its report to the President.

Spokesperson of the Commission, Katherine Woode at the end of the sitting addressing the media expressed thanks to all for the needed attention which has been attained to the Commission works over the period.

”The Commission is grateful to the media for the coverage all this while. As you’ll know, other works and recommendations would be set for the development of our Country’s Security process.” he said.

Six people were shot at the Baweleshie polling centre of the constituency, compelling the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to withdraw from the exercise citing safety concerns.

Voters were electing a new Member of Parliament (MP) for the area in the by-election necessitated by the demise of the incumbent Emmanuel Kyeremanteng Agyarko last year, representing the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP).

The by-election was won by Lydia Seyran Alhassan, a spouse of the late MP on the ticket of the governing NPP, collecting over 60% of the total valid votes cast.

Some masked security personnel who arrived at the premises were in SWAT inscribed vehicles and in some cases were being driven by people in Police uniforms.