• Okudzeto Ablakwa states that victims have had to pay for their own medical bills
• The MPs want the culture of impunity to end
The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has indicated that the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has no option but to live up to its constitutional mandate by probing the cause of deaths during the 2020 elections.
Two Members of Parliament, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah of Ellembelle petitioned CHRAJ to investigate the cause of deaths of about 8 people during the polls.
In a Joy FM interview monitored by GhanaWeb, the North Tongu MP revealed that the commission cannot turn down their petition since the case infringes on fundamental human rights, abuses of power, injustice, and unjust treatment.
“CHRAJ has no choice than to live up to its constitutional mandate, rise up to serve the people of this country and end this culture of impunity,” the MP said.
He added, “none of the relieves we are seeking to the best of my knowledge are matters pending before any court, particularly the abuse of office and the fact that we are demanding investigations to identify the persons who pull the trigger, those who gave the directives for the killings.”
“I’m not aware that there is any court action where all of these killings are the subject matter of any trials in our court,” Okudzeto Ablakwa stated.
The MPs in their petition stated that personnel from the Ghana Armed Forces did not conduct themselves in appropriate manner that promoted peace during the elections. The legislators want CHRAJ to investigate cases reported at Techiman South, Odododiodio, Ablekuma Central and Savelugu constituencies. Okudzeto Ablakwa confirmed that some of the victims who sustained injuries have had to foot their medical bills since they have not been compensated by the state due to the negligence of the armed officers.
The North Tongu MP fears the culture of impunity may arise if election-related issues such as this are not addressed.
Okudzeto Ablakwa stated: “Investigations has not commenced, nobody has been brought to book. There have been no effort to compensate victims. I have been in touch with the victims, they have been taking care of their own medical bills.”
“If care is not taken, a certain culture of impunity will emerge and all subsequent elections would be threatened and eventually the democracy would be threatened, that is why we have ended up at CHRAJ,” the MP said.
He added, “It’s a thorough work the lawyers and I have undertook and we believe that we shall obtain justice in this matter.”
MP for North Tongu, Okudzeto Ablakwa