Commission of Enquiry into by-election violence begins sitting tomorrow
The Commission of Enquiry set up to investigate the violence which occurred during the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election will begin sitting tomorrow February 14, 2019 at the Christianborg Castle, Osu.
Hearings will be open to the public.
Advertisement
According to the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Mr Kofi Abotsi, sittings begin at 10 a.m. each day.
A statement issued in Accra yesterday and signed by Mr Abotsi, invited the public to submit all memoranda/statements to the commission on or before February 20, 2019.
It encouraged the public to present relevant information to aid in the said investigations and for the effective conclusion of its work.
The commission is accordingly urging the public to submit information, statements or other memoranda to [email protected] or by hand delivery to its Secretariat.
Inauguration
The Vice-President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, on Friday, February 8, swore in two members and the secretary to the Commission and reminded them to endeavour to complete the work within a month.
They are Mr Justice Emile Short, who is the chairman, Professor Mrs Henrietta Mensah-Bonsu, a member, and Mr Abotsi.
A third member of the commission and a former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mr Patrick Kwarteng Acheampong, was out of the jurisdiction during the swearing-in ceremony.
Swearing of oath
Dr Bawumia who led members of the commission to administer the official oath and the oath of secrecy respectively, assured the commission that all the necessary arrangements and logistics would be provided them to facilitate their work.
He said the personalities on the commission were “people with impeccable integrity.” He added that their role as members of the commission was a national service for which the country was grateful.
Describing the work of the commission as historic, the Vice-President recalled similar violent incidents which characterised by-elections in the Talensi, Chereponi and Atiwa constituencies and said it was the first time such violence during election was being investigated.
Chairman of the Commission
The Chairman of the Commission of Enquiry, Mr Justice Short, on behalf of the members, said their work was an “extremely important assignment in the national interest.”
Background
Violence erupted at the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency on January 31, 2019, leading to gunshot wounds and the withdrawal of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) from the elections.
The violence was widely condemned by well-meaning Ghanaians.