Lydia Alhassan’s actions breached peace and must be arrested – Dr Amakye Boateng

Dr. Amakye Boateng, a Senior Lecturer in Political Science at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), has criticized the actions of Lydia Alhassan, Member of Parliament for Ayawaso West, describing them as a breach of peace.

Speaking in an interview on Onua FM, Dr. Boateng called for her arrest over alleged misconduct during the special voting exercise on Monday, December 2, 2024.

“What she did was a breach of the peace in this country. She needs to be arrested,” Dr. Boateng asserted. “Why would you go to a polling station and start sharing items in a poly bag? How can we be so sure it was just food she was distributing and not something more dangerous like explosives?”

Dr. Boateng emphasized that polling stations are considered security zones due to the sensitive nature of elections.

He further urged authorities to investigate the security personnel present at the polling station, questioning why such activities were permitted.

“These same leaders preach about promoting peace, yet their actions undermine it,” he lamented. “The fact that it didn’t escalate into violence doesn’t negate the fact that it was a breach of peace. Ghana is a civilized country, and such incidents should not happen.”

The comments from Dr. Boateng come after videos surfaced showing Lydia Alhassan at the Legon Police Station polling center, allegedly distributing bags containing food and water to individuals in the voting queue. The footage sparked public criticism, with some accusing the MP of engaging in activities that could influence voters.

In response to the allegations, Lydia Alhassan denied any wrongdoing during an interview with JoyNews, claiming she was not present at the polling station when the incident occurred.

“I wasn’t here. I don’t know if you saw me here. I’ve been here since… I came before 6 a.m. and left a few minutes ago. I don’t even know what you’re talking about,” she said. “I am yet to find out from them what happened.”