The electoral violence that occurred during the re-run of elections in the Ablekuma North Constituency last Friday is deeply troubling and must be condemned in no uncertain terms.
Reports that unidentified individuals disrupted the electoral process and physically assaulted some voters, including a former Minister of State should alarm all well-meaning Ghanaians. These acts of lawlessness threaten the very foundations of our democratic experiment and must not be allowed to fester.
It is important to state that the brutish and barbaric act witnessed during the re-run at Ablekuma North is not the first of such electoral violence witnessed under the Fourth Republican era.
Our democratic journey under the current constitution is replete with a number of such unfortunate incidents and one can conveniently mention the violent attacks on voters and political opponents during the Chereponi, Akwatia, Atiwa West, Talensi and most recently, Ayawaso West Wuogon constituencies by-elections.
It is very sad and unfortunate that more than three decades into our democratic journey, the country continues to witness such unfortunate incidents.
It is in the light of this that We on The Ghanaian Times commend the swift and unequivocal condemnation of last Friday’s unfortunate happenings by the Minister for the Interior, Alhaji Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak and his assurance to the nation that perpetrators of the violence will be fished out and punished in accordance with the law.
It is heartening to hear that video evidence has already been forwarded to the Inspector General of Police and that efforts are underway to bring the culprits to justice. However, we must emphasise that words alone are not enough as the Ghanaian people expect results.
The culture of impunity that has historically surrounded political violence must end, and this incident presents the government and law enforcement agencies with an opportunity to demonstrate that no one is above the law in our country.
The excuse that perpetrators “vanish” after their crimes, while understandable, cannot be a justification for inaction. The state must resource the security services adequately and invest in intelligence to track and apprehend those responsible, regardless of their political affiliation.
It is also significant that the Interior Minister has reminded political parties of the Vigilantism and Related Offences Act, which prohibits the formation and operation of party-affiliated militia groups.
That reminder is timely and must be enforced without fear or favour.
It is important to drum home the fact that Ghana’s democracy cannot be held hostage by groups of political thugs whose only mission is to sow fear and chaos during elections.
Indeed, as we look ahead to the Akwatia by-election, The Ghanaian Times urges the security agencies to take a cue from the Ablekuma North incident and deploy robust, impartial measures to ensure the safety and integrity of the polls.
We believe that elections must be contests of ideas, and not battlegrounds of violence.
To this end, we call on all political actors to exercise restraint and place the national interest above partisan gain. Ghana has come too far in its democratic journey to allow violent actors to reverse the gains of the Fourth Republic.
Let the law work. Let justice be done.