THE ERUPTION of violence during the Ablekuma North parliamentary rerun has once again brought Ghana’s electoral integrity into question. What should have been a democratic exercise instead descended into scenes of chaos, intimidation, and attacks—mirroring a disturbing trend under President Akufo-Addo’s leadership.
Public sentiment is clear: the Akufo-Addo administration has presided over a worrying erosion of law and order, with elements of the security apparatus allegedly enabling politically motivated violence. This is not the first time Ghanaians have been made to fear the ballot box.
In the 2020 general elections, the National Election Security Taskforce recorded 61 incidents of violence—21 confirmed as electoral-related. Eight Ghanaians lost their lives, including minors and polling agents. These were not isolated incidents, but coordinated acts in constituencies like Odododiodio, Techiman South, Savelugu, and others.
The tragedy of young lives lost—such as Rita Otoo Teki, Botwe Tackie, and Samira Zakaria—should never be forgotten. Yet similar events continue to repeat, raising uncomfortable questions about political will and accountability.
Even before this, the 2019 Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election set a dangerous precedent, where NDC MP Sam George was assaulted by masked security operatives in broad daylight. The culture of impunity has only worsened since.
Former President John Dramani Mahama, commemorating the Fourth Republic’s 31st anniversary, rightly described the 2020 violence as “Ghana’s day of infamy.”
His directive to investigate the deaths from both the 2020 and 2024 elections reflects the leadership Ghanaians yearn for—one grounded in justice and national healing.
As the country braces for the 2024 general elections, many are now looking to Mahama and the NDC’s Reset Ghana Agenda as a path to restore peace, rebuild trust in democratic institutions, and prevent further bloodshed.
The time has come for bold reforms and leadership that protects citizens, not parties. Ghana deserves better—and the people know it.
Source: Nationaltymes.com
