Vincent Ekow Assafuah, the Member of Parliament for Old Tafo and Deputy Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation, and Rural Development, has formally petitioned the US Embassy, expressing concerns about electoral violence and threats to Ghana’s democracy during the 2024 general elections.
In his letter, Assafuah outlined a series of alarming events that marred the otherwise peaceful December 7th elections. He pointed out that while the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer and Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, conceded defeat to former President John Dramani Mahama quickly, NPP parliamentary candidates faced intimidation and violent attacks allegedly orchestrated by members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Assafuah reported that these violent incidents occurred in nine constituencies, traditionally strongholds of the NPP. These constituencies included Dome Kwabenya, Okaikwei Central, Ablekuma North, Tema Central, Ahafo Ano North, Ahafo Ano South West, Obuasi East, Techiman South, and Nsawam Adoagyiri.
In a specific case at Okaikwei Central, Assafuah claimed that leading NDC figures, including Ashitey, Chairman of the NDC’s Greater Accra branch, Sam George, MP for Ningo-Prampram, Peter Otukunor, former Deputy General Secretary, and Malik Basintale, Deputy Communications Director, were involved in a violent incident.
They, along with armed men, allegedly invaded the collation centre, threatening police officers and forcing the Returning Officer to declare the NDC’s candidate, Baba Sadiq, as the winner, despite the absence of results from 31 polling stations.
Assafuah also recounted an incident in Ablekuma North, where the NPP’s parliamentary candidate, Afriyeh Owusu, was attacked at her residence and pursued by unidentified men demanding pink sheets. He further alleged that a primary school housing ballot papers was set ablaze on December 16th, 2024. Similar incidents of harassment, threats, violence, and bullying were reported in the remaining seven constituencies.
Despite interventions by the Electoral Commission, Assafuah stated that efforts to restore order were repeatedly disrupted by acts of thuggery targeting NPP supporters, Electoral Commission staff, and members of Ghana’s Police Service at various collation centres.
In his petition, Assafuah urged the US Embassy to intervene and draw the attention of the President-elect to the need for measures to safeguard Ghana’s democracy, which has been built over the past three decades.
