Lydia Alhassan: The food was for our team, agents, and some journalists but...

The Member of Parliament for Ayawaso West Wuogon, Lydia Seyram Alhassan has denied distributing food and water to voters during the special voting exercise on December 2, 2024.

According to her, the incident has been misunderstood.

She explained that the food packages seen in a video being shared to some voters in a queue was meant for her campaign team, Electoral Commission agents, and journalists present at the polling station.

“Yes, I was at the polling station to monitor the process, and we sent food for our team, agents, and some journalists.” 

“Someone in the queue asked for a package, and my women’s organiser, out of goodwill, gave one. That led to a few others being given. It was not intentional, and I did not distribute anything myself.”

Ms Alhassan acknowledged the incident but emphasised that it was unplanned and assured that she did not break any laws. 

She promised that steps would be taken to prevent such occurrences in the future.

She was speaking in a radio interview with Citi FM on Tuesday morning. 

In videos shared online, the MP was seen at the Legon Police Station polling centre, which showed food packages being handed out to some voters in a queue. Lydia Alhassan was seen standing close to the food sharing. 

There has been varied reactions to the incident with the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate John Dumelo condemning it and saying it was violation of Ghana’s electoral laws.

“Why are you sharing food with people in the queue? Let’s respect the rules of the Electoral Commission,” Dumelo said in a video. “This kind of behaviour must stop.”

He argued that such actions could undermine the integrity of the electoral process and stressed the need for strict adherence to the rules to maintain free and fair elections.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of the Commission of Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Dr Joseph Whittal has cast a damning verdict on a viral footage in which some security personnel who took part in the special voting Monday were seen collecting food while in a queue to vote. 

Addressing journalists after a health screening for 300 staff of the Commission who will be deployed to monitor human rights issues in December 7 elections, Dr Whittal said, “When I looked at the video, it was more of an embarrassment, because security officers must be security conscious. 

Read also: CHRAJ boss condemns security officers who received food during special voting at Ayawaso West Wuogon