NDC MPs berate Akufo Addo for ignoring election-related deaths in his State of the Nation Address

Members of the Minority side of Parliament have taken huge offence in what their leader, Haruna Iddrisu has described as a conspicuous act of omission by President Nana Addo Danwka Akufo-Addo during his end of term State of the Nation Address.

The president in fulfilment of Article 67 of the Constitution delivered his end of term Address in Parliament on Tuesday, January 5, 2021.

The Minority Leader after the president’s address was given the floor to make a comment and it was during his presentation that he chided the president for failing to speak on the recorded cases of deaths associated with some incidents of violence which occurred during the 2020 general elections.

“This honourable house thanks the President for the message on the state of the nation…. Mr President, we leave our fractured democracy in your hands. Conspicuously lost in your speech is the loss of lives in Techiman and other parts of Ghana,” the Minority Leader stated.

Following the president's address and the cognizance created by the Minority Leader, his fellow Minority MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa also took to his Twitter page to criticize the president for his omission and questioned why an investigation is yet to be conducted into the incidents.

He described the president’s address as disappointing.

“Not a word of sympathy from President Akufo-Addo on the barbaric killings of 8 defenceless Ghanaians during the December 7, 2020 elections. Even more depressing is his refusal to institute investigations and sanction the mindless perpetrators. Absolutely disappointing address,” the Member of Parliament for North Tongu tweeted.

Not a word of sympathy from President Akufo-Addo on the barbaric killings of 8 defenceless Ghanaians during the December 7, 2020 elections. Even more depressing is his refusal to institute investigations and sanction the mindless perpetrators.

Absolutely disappointing address.

— Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa (@S_OkudzetoAblak) January 5, 2021

At least five persons died in electoral related violence during the December presidential and parliamentary polls.

Two of the victims died when violence erupted at a collation centre in the Techiman South Constituency. Several cases of injury were also recorded across the country.