Electoral violence: Set up different committees to probe NPP, NDC motions – Minority to Speaker

Motions and counter motions characterize the dying minutes of the first session of the 8th Parliament as four majority members file a counter-motion requesting Parliament to investigate electoral-related violence since the inception of the fourth republic.

The Minority Caucus in Parliament has called for different committees to be formed to probe election violence, filed by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Four members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Caucus in Parliament filed a private members motion today, Tuesday, 30 March 2021 for the house to investigate instances of electoral violence since 1993.

The Members of Parliament (MPs) were the Majority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh Dompreh; Deputy Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin; Abuakwa South MP, Samuel Atta Akyea and the Akuapem South MP, Osei Bonsu Amoah.

The motion is aimed to cause an investigation into “alleged interference by some members of the security agencies and some vigilante groups before, during and after presidential and general elections since 1993 resulting in injuries and loss of lives and make consequential recommendations.”

The four lawmakers also want recruitments of persons into the country’s security agencies since 1993 to be investigated.

This, according to them, is “to establish the level of ethnic, regional and gender balance in the recruitment and appointment to such public offices and make appropriate recommendations.”

On 23 March 2021, six members of the Minority in Parliament filed a motion for a probe into the instances of election violence during the 2020 General elections.

The Minority MPs included the Minority leader Haruna Iddrisu, Minority Chief whip Muntaka Mubarak, Bawku Central MP; Mahama Ayariga, Alhassan Suhuyini, Tamale North MP and James Agalga, Builsa North MP.

Speaking on the development, the MP for the Ningo Prampram constituency, Sam Goerge said, “I would be shocked if the Speaker would want to consolidate the motions. They are two independent motions so we can have two different committees.

“That is why I'm saying that this is an attempt to filibuster. Per the parliamentary practice of filibustering, this is a filibustering attempt by the majority to filibuster the process and make it a stupid case”.

He continued: “We will give them their 1993 investigation and I'm saying that we can even send it back to 1957 or Sir Guggisberg’s time for them.

“But that is completely different from the motion that was filed by Haruna Iddrisu,” adding that the motion filed by the Minority Caucus “will stand alone as an investigation on its own”.

”We will oppose any attempt by anybody in this House to make it a joint investigation, ” he stressed.