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Minister of Defence, Dominic Nitiwul, is advocating for an investigation into all election-related violence beginning from 1992 when Ghana began its democratic journey.
Such a step, he said, will bring to rest all simmering tensions and also aid the state to look forward to what to do to ensure incidences of violence before, during and after elections are curtailed.
He expressed preparedness to be one of the first people, as a Minister of Defence, to submit himself to a probe of all election-related violence since 1992 and challenged all former Ministers of Defence and Interior to do the same to ensure the country moves as one.
The Defence Minister made the call on Thursday when he contributed to a debate in Parliament on the State of the Nation Address delivered by President Akufo-Addo.
He noted that the most violent post-election year in the history of Ghana’s democratic dispensation was 2009 after the National Democratic Congress (NDC) won the general elections.
According to him, contrary to popular opinion, the 2020 elections, which unfortunately also witnessed violence and deaths, comes no near to the incidents of 2009.
“Just in Agbogblishie here, over nine people were slaughtered in 2009 after the elections. In Tamale town, over 20 houses were burnt and about five people died.”
“In Kumbung two people were slaughtered.”
“I will be happy if as a nation we investigate all these things including the six that died in the 2020 elections.”
The Minister noted that he will be very excited if as a nation all these are investigated and brought to a final conclusion.
Mr. Nitiwul indicated that President Nana Akufo-Addo, over the last four years, has invested more resources into the Ghana Armed Forces than any President of the republic.
According to him, President Mahama’s investment in the Army for the eight years was less than GH¢2 billion while President Akufo-Addo, in just four years, has invested over GH¢3 billion in capital expenditure.
