Probe all bloody elections… 4 MPs charge Parliament

All incidents of electoral related violence that have happened in Ghana since 1993 are to be thoroughly investigated, the fine details made public and culprits made to face the full rigors of the law, four Members of Parliament on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Parliament have prayed the House through a private member’s motion.

They are also requesting for investigations to establish with accurate and verifiable facts the details of all recruitments into the country’s security services since 1993.

The four Parliamentarians include the Majority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh Dompreh, the Deputy Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, and the MP for Abuakwa South MP, Samuel Atta Akyea and the MP for Akuapem South, Osei Bonsu Amoah.

The motion, filed by the four is asking Parliament to meticulously investigate all cases of “interference by some members of the security agencies and some vigilante groups before, during, and after presidential and general elections since 1993 resulting in injuries and loss of lives and make consequential recommendations.”

On the issue of enlistments into the security services, the four MPs are seeking through their motion, that there should be investigations to get credible data and verifiable facts to know the “level of ethnic, regional and gender balance in the recruitment and appointment to such public offices and make appropriate recommendations.”

MINORITY

About a week ago, some MPs from the Minority side had filed a similar motion that sought investigations into electoral violence but in their motion, they were specific that the investigations be limited to only the year 2020 general elections.

The six MPs all on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) include the Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu, Minority Chief Whip Muntaka Mubarak, Bawku Central MP Mahama Ayariga, Tamale North MP Alhassan Suhuyini and Builsa North MP James Agalga

SAM GEORGE

Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram, Sam Nartey ‘Dzata’ George has explained to the media that the two motions are distinct and separate because they have two requests which are not same.

He said while one focused on a specific election, the other focused on a set of elections therefore he would be surprised if the two motions are boxed and coined into one to be investigated together.

“I would be shocked if the Speaker would want to consolidate the motions. They are two independent motions, so, we can have two different committees” Same George noted.

He continued: “That is why I’m saying that this is an attempt to filibuster…This is a filibustering attempt by the Majority.

“We will give them their 1993 investigation and I’m saying that we can even send it back to 1957 or Sir Guggisberg’s time for them.

“But that is completely different from the motion that was filed by Haruna Iddrisu will stand alone as an investigation on its own.

”We will oppose any attempt by anybody in this House to make it a joint investigation”, the Ningo Prampram MP noted.