NDC MPs petition CHRAJ over 2020 electoral violence
Samuel Okudzeko Ablakwah - MP for North Tongu
Two legislators in the minority caucus, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and Emmanuel Kofi Armah Buah have sent a petition to the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to probe the deaths that happened during the 2020 general elections.
Their complaint is targeting the Interior Minister, Defence Minister, the Ghana Police Service and the Chief of Defence Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces.
The complaint is restricted to the Techiman South, Odododiodio, Ablekuma Central, and Savelugu constituencies in the Bono East, Greater Accra and Northern Regions of the Republic of Ghana respectively. And the complainants are concerned with the “manner in which the Ghana Police Service and the Ghana Armed Forces discharged their constitutional and statutory mandates in the constituencies mentioned above”.
Mr Ablakwah and Mr Armah Buah in their petition stated the military and Police acted contrary to their constitutional mandate as stated in the 1992 constitution of Ghana.
“In the case of the Ghana Armed Forces, their conduct in furtherance of the purpose of the NESTF did not promote the development of Ghana as prescribed by article 210(3) of the 1992 Constitution, as their conduct caused damage to life, limb and property.
“Regarding the Ghana Police service, the manner in which they carried out their functions to further the purpose of the
NESTF undermined their constitutional obligation under Article 200(3) of performing their “traditional role of maintaining law and order. The complaint was specifically focused on Techiman South, Odododiodio, Ablekuma Central, and the Savelugu constituencies in the Bono East, Greater Accra and Northern Regions of the Republic of Ghana respectively.”
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As part of reliefs sought from the Commission, the two lawmakers want the matters raised above to be investigated as per the mandate of CHRAJ.
“The complainants demand that the Commission conduct investigations into the NESTF’s activities during the
December 2020 elections at the Techiman South, Odododiodio, Ablekuma Central and Savelugu constituencies in the Bono East, Greater Accra Region, and Northern Regions of the Republic of Ghana.”
Also, “The Complainants also demand that the investigation identify officials of the Ghana Police Service and Ghana
Armed Forces responsible for the unlawful acts the subject matter of the present complaint and the persons under
whose command and instructions they acted.”
Compensation
The petitioners also seek compensation for the victims and they want the Commission to “recommend that the Ghana Police Service and Ghana Armed Forces negotiate and reach an agreed sum as compensation with the victims and in appropriate cases, their personal representatives, or in the alternative, that the Commission recommends an amount as compensation to the victims or families of the victims”.
Finally, they want the Commission to upon identifying the culprits in the subject matter recommend “appropriate disciplinary sanctions in accordance with law”.
Read the full petition below.
By: Stella Annan | myactiveonline.com Twitter @activetvgh
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