Kwaku Asare, a Fellow at the Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), has called for immediate investigations into the deaths that occurred during the 2020 and 2024 general elections, emphasizing that such actions are crucial for accountability as reported by Myjoyonline on Sunday, January 12, 2025.
Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile on January 11, Asare stressed that the Ghana Police Service should take the initiative in probing election-related fatalities without waiting for instructions from political leaders.
“The police should not wait for the President to come and tell them to investigate the death of somebody,” Asare remarked, revealing that law enforcement’s primary responsibility is to address public matters, including these tragic deaths.
He expressed concern over the lack of progress in addressing the fatalities, questioning whether political pressures had influenced the delay in investigations.
Asare’s comments were in response to recent remarks by former President John Mahama, who had directed his Executive Secretary to request an update from the Inspector General of Police, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, on the status of the investigations.
President Mahama, at a National Muslim Prayer and Thanksgiving event on January 10, called for justice to prevent a recurrence of election-related violence.
He stated that if accountability is not pursued, it fosters impunity. “If these continue and justice is not served, then what it does is, it breeds impunity,” Mahama stated.