AWW By-Election Violence: CSOs Call For Independent Investigation – Ghanaiandemocrat.com

National Anti Corruption Civil Society Organizations have condemned the recent attack by fake masked National Security operatives on innocent voters at the last Thursday’s by-election at the Ayawaso West Wuogon in the Greater Accra Region.

In a statement released on Sunday, the CSOs are calling on the government to task an independent body to begin investigation into the matter and bring the perpetrators to justice.

Below is the full statement:

The Coalition of National Anti-Corruption Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) under the umbrella of the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) has observed with dismay the worrisome election-related violence, which has increasingly become wide-spread across the country including the recent incident at the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency by-election, specifically in one location in that constituency.

What is frightening is the purported masked and unmasked National Security Personnel wielding guns and going around in Police SWAT-branded cars, committing high crimes which could have resulted in murder.

Furthermore, the recorded violent confrontations between the purported masked National Security Personnel and uniformed Police Personnel is very dangerous for our democracy that can trigger a chain of unwarranted reactions.

Such acts are inimical to our democratic process and must be condemned by all including the leadership of the parties. We call on the government to immediately investigate these acts of violence and criminality displayed by the masked men, unknown to the state system and make public the report of the investigations as well as punish those involved.

We also call on the leaders of all political parties and their supporters to take immediate steps to avoid recurrence of such unfortunate incidents and also disband all political vigilante groups with immediate effect. Likewise, the security agencies are requested to deploy officers who can maintain order without resorting to attacking others without any provocation since such blatant demonstration and abuse of power can lead to catastrophic ends.

Most importantly, Political parties and their leadership must refrain from acts and utterances that incite violence and undermine the security and credibility of our electoral process and democracy.

Ghana has earned high marks from the global community for the tranquility of its electoral process; therefore we cannot and should not sit idle for a few to tarnish that reputation. We believe Ghana’s global reputation is important but even more important is the major threat to our relative peace and security which not protected can only have ominous consequences for our development as a nation and of the whole West Africa region.

Yours in the service of Ghana.

SGN

Nana Osei-Bonsu, Board Chair, GACC