Violence after elections: Police must deal decisively with perpetrators

Ghana has once again received commendation from the global community for organising free, fair and peaceful elections and we congratulate all Ghanaians on contributing to this feat.

Observer missions that have applauded the country for a job well done include the African Union (AU), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Commonwealth Election Observer mission in Ghana.

Also praising Ghana for an election well-executed are the West Africa Democracy Solidarity Network (WADEMOS), the West Africa Election Observers Network (WAEON), East and HORN of Africa (E-HORN) Observers Network, Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD-West Africa), Yiaga Africa (Nigeria), and the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO).

They have all commended the people of Ghana for their commitment to democratic principles, as evidenced by the peaceful conduct of last Saturday's general election, as well as the vigilance of voters, citizen observers and political party and candidates’ agents in the observation and monitoring of the polling process, counting of ballots and the tallying processes.

Even before the Electoral Commission (EC) authenticated the results from all 16 regions of the country, the presidential candidate of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, had conceded defeat in the polls and congratulated his main opponent, John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Vice-President Bawumia stated during his concession speech barely 24 hours after the polls that he had taken that step to ease tension in the country and also demonstrate his commitment to the peace pact which he signed before the election.

But while all Ghanaians beat their chests for a job well done in the polls, there have been pockets of disturbances across the country, which have threatened to undo all the good work the majority of Ghanaians did and also erode all the gains made in Ghana’s democratic dispensation.

There have been disturbing reports from Damongo, the capital of the Savannah Region, where angry youth set the EC office on fire last Sunday afternoon following hours of frustration over delays in announcing the 2024 presidential and parliamentary election results.

That to the Daily Graphic was uncalled for as the youth only needed to exercise patience for collation to be completed.

Still in Damongo, a 35-year-old man, Mukila Ziblim, reportedly died from gunshot injuries he sustained from a stray bullet when some youth attacked a collation centre.

In another development, some troublemakers besieged the offices of the Social Welfare, Community Development and Veterinary Services in Tamale, looting valuable belongings, including furniture, official documents and essential equipment.

Also in Tamale, chaos erupted after some youth vandalised the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly premises and looted food items from a warehouse.

In Accra, the Ghana Police Service arrested a man for possessing a weapon at the St Theresa School polling station in the Okaikwei South Constituency, after a heated argument between him and an EC official on election day.

Yet again, some ballot boxes and papers from the just-ended general election were destroyed by unidentified men at the Ayawaso Central collation centre (the ATTC School) in Accra, plunging the area into chaos.

Some irate youth in the Techiman South Constituency also reportedly destroyed ballot materials from the recent general election, after their demands for the declaration of the parliamentary results were not met.

These instances and more that cannot be recounted, the Daily Graphic believes, must not be swept under the carpet but should be dealt with decisively by the police and other security agencies mandated to handle the issues.

We are gladdened to note that the police have already arrested some 30 people in connection with the disturbances across the country and we urge them to continue with the good work to ensure that all those who took part in these unwarranted disturbances face the full rigour of the law.

Ghana has come far in its democratic walk (32 years in the 4th Republic) and we must not lose out. We must rather consolidate the gains we have made by committing fully to free, fair, transparent and peaceful elections.

We must trumpet to all citizens that elections are only opportunities to serve the good people of Ghana and not a do-or-die affair.

The Daily Graphic also calls on all political parties, especially the two major parties – the NPP and the NDC-- to call their members to order and impress on them to keep calm at all times to allow the processes to work and not take the law into their own hands.

We have one Ghana and we must all guard the peace we are enjoying jealously.