Four Majority Members of Parliament (MPs) have filed two new motions to ask Parliament to investigate all election-related violence since the inception of the Fourth Republic.
The motions from Deputy Majority Leader, Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, Majority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, MP for Abuakwa South, Samuel Atta-Akyea and Akuapim South MP, Osei Bonsu Amoah follow a similar one filed by six National Democratic Congress (NDC) MPs on March 28, 2021.
Led by Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, the six NDC MPs, made up of Minority Chief Whip, Muntaka Mubarak, Bawku Central MP, Mahama Ayariga, Tamale South MP, Alhassan Suhuyini, and Builsa North MP, James Agalga filed a motion to urge Parliament to investigate circumstances leading to some violence and subsequent deaths during the 2020 general election.
Again, the MPs asked for a probe into all recruitments made by the various security agencies since President Nana Akufo-Addo and the New Patriotic Party took office in 2017.
But in a counter-motion filed by four Majority MPs, they insisted that the probe should not be limited to the 2020 elections, but should be extended to electoral violence dating back to 1993.
They have also requested that the investigations should also include ethnic, gender, regional, and other sectional backgrounds of persons recruited into the security forces since January 1993.
Earlier, Majority Leader of Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu stated his side will offer conditional support to the Minority’s demand for a probe into the violence that characterised the 2020 general election.
The Suame legislator, however, observed that the NPP will only support the investigation if it is extended to cover all other electoral-related violence since the inception of the Fourth Republic.
“Well, we have had numerous elections including by-elections in this country which have witnessed violence. Why single out the last year’s election?
“In principle, I will support it but if we want to be truthful to ourselves, let’s go back and investigate everything that would help us to make better recommendations which will stand the test of time. It shouldn’t be picking and choosing,” he told the House.