Ekow Assafuah, the Member of Parliament for Old-Tafo in the Ashanti Region, has dismissed former President John Dramani Mahama's directive for an investigation into electoral fatalities during the 2020 and 2024 general elections as a political ploy.
Speaking on Oyerepa TV, Assafuah argued that the move is part of a broader strategy to sway public opinion. "This directive by Mahama is nothing more than a calculated attempt to gain favour with Ghanaians," Assafuah stated. "It's a propaganda tactic aimed at painting the previous NPP administration as negligent, creating the impression that we failed to act on such tragic incidents." The fatalities in question, which occurred during and after the elections, resulted in the loss of nearly ten lives, sparking widespread calls for accountability.
Mahama's appeal to the Inspector General of Police, the Ministry of the Interior, and the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to investigate these deaths has reignited debates about the integrity of Ghana's electoral process and voter safety.
Assafuah challenged the narrative, pointing out that members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) had previously petitioned the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to investigate these incidents. "Both Ablakwa and Emmanuel Armah Buah petitioned CHRAJ during our time in office, and investigations were initiated," he remarked. "Why is the NDC now pretending as if nothing was done?" The MP further accused Mahama of using the support he garnered from Ghanaians as a platform to portray an image of responsiveness. "This is not about justice or the safety of citizens; it's about scoring political points," Assafuah asserted.
