AWW violence: Mahama releases video he showed diplomats

Former President John Dramani Mahama has released one of the videos he showed to the diplomatic community in Ghana on the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election that turned violent.

This follows calls for Mahama to submit his evidence to the Emile Short Commission to aid with investigations and ascertain what happened on the day of the by-election.

However, the former president in a Facebook post said the videos are widely available to the public on social media so it would be easy and accessible for the commission to get what is needed for the probe.

Condemning the violence that happened, the former President called for the criminal prosecution of the Ayawaso West Wuogon attackers.

According to him, “the brutalities and violent actions of January 31 in Ayawaso West Wuogon were criminal, and to the extent that the perpetrators are known, the police must investigate and prosecute the offenders”.

Former President Mahama on Wednesday, February 13 met with various diplomatic missions in Ghana to brief them on the violence that ensued at the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election last month. The briefing traced the history of the NPP’s introduction of the vigilante groups, their training and the dangerous decision to arm the hoodlums and also clothe them as supposed national security operatives.

The diplomats were shown multiple videos of the barbaric attacks, gun violence, unrepentant admissions of responsibility by a Minister of State at the Presidency, Bryan Acheampong and videos of the previous outings of the NPP aligned vigilante groups, Delta and Invincible Forces.

Senior Minister, Yaw Osafo Maafo, reacting to this described Mahama’s act as unpatriotic and shameful saying it is unacceptable for a former Head of State to stoop so low in tarnishing the image of the country to foreigners with the aim of painting the Akufo-Addo-led government "black".

Meanwhile, spokesperson for Mr. Mahama, James Agyenim Boateng in a statement hit back at the Senior Minister for criticizing Mahama’s meeting with foreign diplomats on the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election shootings.

The statement read “it is shameful and hypocritical on the part of Mr. Osafo Maafo that he had the temerity to decry Mr. Mahama’s meeting with diplomats the way he did. Senior Minister still serves in the Akufo-Addo government under whose watch state-sponsored goons with weapons and Police SWAT hunter vehicles were unleashed on voters.”

Agyenim-Boateng explained that “for the avoidance of doubt, former President Mahama acted fairly and appropriately by taking a pre-emptive step to galvanise public support to save Ghana from the looming catastrophe fueled by the NPP and its thugs ahead of the 2020 elections.”

He said apart from re-stating the commitment of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to free, fair and peaceful elections, his meeting with the diplomats merely shared information that was already in the public domain.