Commission probing Ayawaso violence needless – Security critic, Kwesi Aning

Security Analyst, Dr. Kwesi Aning has described as needless government’s move to constitute a commission of inquiry over the violence that occurred during the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election.

He says the move is a clear sign of the weak state institutions and agencies in the country.

Dr. Anning said the by-election violence shows an escalation of poor handling of Ghana’s security issues, hence the outcomes of the commission whatsoever will yield no positive results.

The setting up of the commission followed the shooting incident that occurred near a La Bawaleshie polling center that temporarily disrupted the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election and resulted in at least 13 persons sustaining injuries.

But speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Friday, Dr. Kwesi Aning said government’s decision to set up the commission is ill-informed and “a desperate response for a crisis that has gotten out of hand.”

“We have too many institutions in the country that ought to function. If they had functioned, we would not have needed a commission. In any other jurisdiction, there would have been an emergency sitting of Parliament [on the night of the violence]. None of the committees in Parliament has discussed this; The minister has not been hauled before any of the committees. This commission of inquiry is a desperate response to a crisis that has gotten out of hand. This crisis that has led to this commission of inquiry means lack of understanding and management of our security forces.”

Failed Security

Dr. Kwesi Anning, also said the failure of successive governments to invest in security and properly manage the existing security infrastructure, accounts for the inability of security agencies to effectively deliver on their mandate.

“We have not invested in our security for the past 30 years and over time, that has undermined the capacity and capability of our security forces. We haven’t invested in the infrastructure and its management proportionally to the population growth and the threat to West Africa.  This is a major failure on the part of our political leaders.”

General Secretary of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketia had said the Commission is only a ploy to protect perpetrators of the violence.

According to him, the whole idea of the Commission is flawed at birth because the president did not follow the right procedure in setting up such commissions.

The NDC scribe said the constitution states clearly that, a constitutional instrument is to be laid before Parliament before a commission is established saying as far as he is concern nothing of that sort has been done.

Asiedu Nketia argued that such an important committee cannot be established by just issuing a statement.

“I am surprised and even confused because there is a procedure for the setting up of a Commission of Inquiry, which procedure has not been followed at all. This Commission of Inquiry has been flawed at birth, so I want to believe it is a smoked screen move which the president is using to protect its own appointees.”