President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has condemned the violence that nearly marred the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election on Thursday, January 31. In a congratulatory message to winner of the by-election and NPP candidate for the area Lydia Alhassan, President Akufo-Addo said elections ought to be devoid of such acts. “The isolated incident of violence, which occurred in the early stages of the election, was unfortunate and regrettable, and I condemn it in no uncertain terms. “A by-election should be a peaceful and happy event, no matter how competitive,” the Commander-In-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces stated. He further noted that the police is committed to conducting a rapid inquiry into the matter, and all persons found culpable at the end of the process will face the full rigours of the law.
Addressing issues of violence in the country, President Akufo-Addo said his party is committed to ensuring the safety of Ghanaians. He stated that the NPP, as a party which he belongs to, is also not in any way interested in engaging in any form of violence contest with any other political party or individual. “It is important also to state that the New Patriotic Party, the party from which my Government was born, would never dream of competing with any other political party in unleashing violence on the Ghanaian people.” According to the President, the principle of the NPP does not make room for violence of any form or shape. “Our policy, as espoused by the founding father of our political tradition, is ‘to liberate the energies of the people for the growth of a property-owning democracy in this land, with right to life, freedom and justice as the principles to which the Government and laws of the land should be dedicated in order specifically to enrich life, property and liberty of each and every citizen”, and that is what my Government is doing,” he stressed. Although President Akufo-Addo did not make mention of any particular political party, former president John Mahama is reported to have said the NDC cannot be beaten to unleashing violence as a party. The former president made this comment a few hours after the Ayawaso West Wuogon violence. But President Akufo-Addo emphasized his government’s commitment to bringing all perpetrators of violence or crime of any form to book to protect Ghana’s peace. He congratulated the NPP candidate for retaining the seat for the party. “I congratulate Lydia Seyram Alhassan on her emphatic victory in Thursday’s by-election, in the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency. The electorate in the constituency has made an excellent choice, and I am confident she will serve their interests in Parliament with distinction.” He also commended the Electoral Commission, Ghana (EC) for the professionalism it displayed in conducting a free, fair, transparent and credible election, despite the isolated challenge it faced. President Akufo-Addo also expressed confidence in Ghana’s democracy, stating that it is “robust, and will only grow from strength to strength”. By Irene Amesimeku| 3news.com|Ghana ]]>NPP not in violence contest – Akufo-Addo jabs Mahama
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