The Commissioner for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) Joseph Whittal has described calls for former President John Mahama to apologize for his explosive reaction in the aftermath of the mayhem that characterized the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election as unfair.
Mr. Mahama reacting to the chaos in which six people, believed to be supporters of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) were shot at the Baweleshie center of the constituency, warned the NDC could be more violent and rowdy than the NPP.
“I want to sound a caution that NDC has a revolutionary root and when it comes to unleashing violence no one can beat us to that,” Mahama said.
The NDC withdrew from the by-election which was won by the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) Lydia Alhassan following the violence.
Mahama’s comments have upset many including the National Peace Council. The chairman of National Peace Council Professor Emmanuel Asante urged the former president and other political leaders to be circumspect in their utterances.
“I urge him (Mahama) to tone down. I believe he may have spoken on the heat of what happened yesterday so I appeal to him to calm down,” Professor Asante said on Morning Starr Friday.
Others went as far as calling on the former president to apologize for what they say were unguarded comments unbefitting of his status—a demand Whittal dismissed out rightly.
He told Francis Abban on Morning Starr Monday that it was unfair to demand an apology from Mahama when same was not demanded from others including the Interior Minister and the National Security.
“I don’t think his statements are in good taste. But to then call upon him to apologize when we have not called on National Security to come and apologize for this brazen attack on democracy, I don’t think it is fair,” Whittal said.
Dangerous sign ahead of 2020
The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) on Thursday warned that the violence that characterized by-election was a dangerous sign ahead of the 2020 general elections.
“It will be extremely difficult for us as a nation to quench a fire of national violent unrest once it gets started,” warned the NCCE urging immediate action.
CHRAJ in an earlier statement called on the Inspector General of Police to take steps to punish the masked individuals who inflicted mayhem on voters.
“The Commission believes that the security arrangements for this by-election by the Ghana Police Service were inadequate, and the deployment of heavily armed, masked and hooded security personnel to the La Bawaleshie polling center to harass, intimidate, and shoot indiscriminately into the electorate, harming some in the process, as criminal and dastardly acts that should not be allowed to go unpunished,” it said.
The United Nations Development Program has condemned the violence urging Ghanaians in a statement not be complacent about the peace being enjoyed in the country.
Source: ghanaweb.com
Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. |
Mr commissioner do you known that you're a mugu
I WANT TO KNOW IF THIS COMMENT IS PART OF YOUR MANDATE AS COMMISSIONER OF CHARAJ. OR SPEAKING LIKE HIM.. PLS CHECK YOURSELVES.. NO CHILD NEED U AS MENTOR....
THE MAN IS SPEAKING THE FACT YOU CAN GO AND BURN THE SEA AKOFU ADDO CHIMPANZEE
Who appointed this MAN? I strongly believe someone is working against his sense of thinking.This man must be FIRED as soon as possible.People like this and we use tax payers money to pay him. WHAAAAAAAAAT?
Me yanko dzi wo lane mu atse. Me nfa wo forforr efi Mahama na ne nkrofo dze fra won ho just because he appointed you. Yeah you can talk about national security na adze but how do you compare an ex-president to national security. Buddy they don't carry the same weight ai. ka wo no paado wo hom.
This commissioner should be sacked.
Sad. I know Commissioner Emile Sohrte will be very much disappointed in you. Go to the ant and learn some wisdom.
When will the NPP people learn to accept facts? Which one is more important to do? A futuristic and conditional statement vis-a-vis a historic and current happenings which one deserve an apology most? Let's grow up and come out from this infantile behavior.
Please, Mr.commissioner, you were appointed by Mahama so you think it is right for you to appease him, but remember when the civil or political war emerge you will see where you will stand. Your position is to serve Ghana not NDC and Bole disrespectful guy, who does not have a good name in his hometown. I know his home history because I went there, his father was a respected chief and I don't think he was trained to behave himself like this, He is doing this because he was from nowhere and came to occupy the seat of a presidency and the only thing he knows now is pride. But Mahama let me tell you the downfall of a man is building up pride. You are too proud to become a president in Ghana again.
THOSE CALLING ON MAHAMA TO APOLOGISE ARE ALL HY8POCRITES. WHY? TELL ME, WHICH ONE OF YOU AS FATHERS CALLING JOHN MAHAMA TO APOLOGISE FOR HIS BOOT FOR BOOT COMMENTS WILL SIT THERE ALOOF FOR SOMEONE TO POUNCE ON ANY OF YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS IN AN ATTEMPT TO KILL THEM WITHOUT PROTECTING OR PREPARING THEM AGAINST SUCH IN*HUMAN AND BARBARIC ATTACKS IN THE FUTURE? EVEN PEOPLE SELLING KOKO AND WAAKYE NEAR AKUFO ADDO'S FOR SEVERAL YEARS WERE SACKED FROM THERE BECAUSE OF HIS PERSONAL SECUIRITY. DOES AKUFO ADDO HAVE BETTER BLOOD THAN THOSE WAAKYE AND KOKO SELLERS? IF AKUFO ADDO IS PROTECTING HIS LIFE AND THE LIFES OF HIS FAMILY MEMBERS WHY SHOULD JOHN MAHAMA SIT ALOOF FOR HIS FAMILY MEMBERS BE ATTACKED? JUST TWO YEARS IN POWER AND HIS DEEDS ARE WORSE THAN OTHERS WHO STAYED EIGHT OR MORE YEARS. E*VIL PEOPLE ARE EITHER BORN E*VIL OR THEY ARE NUTURED INTO IT. MANDELA WAS NOT BORN E*VIL AND INSPITE OF ALL THE INCASCERATION AND TORTURE HE SUFFERED UNDER THE WHITES HE STILL GAVE THEM (THE WHITES) WHEN HE WORN POWER. THAT IS A LEADER. AKUFO ADDO IS A SHAME*FUL PRESIDENT AND A DISGRACE TO DEMOCRACY. HE SHOULD BOW DOWN HIS HEAD IN SHAME AMONGST HIS COLLEAGUES DURING PRESIDENTIAL MEETINGS ANYWHERE ANYTIME.