I was held liable for something I knew nothing about – Bryan Acheampong on AWW violence

According to the former Minister of State in Charge of National Security, the Emil Short Commission was not fair to him when it ultimately blamed him for the violence and recommended that he be reprimanded.

Answering questions posed to him during his vetting at parliament’s Appointment Committee sitting, the nominee said he did not authorise the operation by some National Security SWAT officers that led to some injuries on politicians during the January 31, 2019, incident.

“In the 500-plus page report [of the Commission of Inquiry], there wasn’t any part that mentioned that I authorized it. So everybody including myself was surprised and afraid that my name found expression in the conclusion that I should be reprimanded. That is why the White Paper rejected that recommendation because it failed to establish the factual basis that I authorized that operation.”

The Ayawaso West by-election took place on 31 January 2019 after the death of the incumbent MP Emmanuel Kyeremateng Agyarko on 21 November 2018. Lydia Alhassan of the New Patriotic Party was elected with 69% of the vote.

Violence erupted in the La-Bawaleshie polling station two hours after the election had started, though there was no death recorded there where casualties wo sustained life threatening injuries.

A government commission of enquiry report indicted the then minister and recommended that Mr Bryan Acheampong be reprimanded.





GA/SARA