Felix Ofosu rejects minority’s call for investigation into Ablekuma North election violence
The Minister of State for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has rejected the Minority Caucus’s call for an investigation into the violence that marred the recent Ablekuma North parliamentary election rerun.
The minister criticised the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for normalising electoral violence over the past eight years under the Akufo-Addo administration. He argued that the party’s failure to hold perpetrators accountable has fostered a culture of impunity, which contributed to the chaos observed during the rerun.
Addressing Parliament following the Minority Leader’s remarks, Mr. Ofosu urged the opposition to demonstrate consistency and sincerity in their efforts to promote peace and credibility in the political landscape.
“A party that endorsed violence during elections cannot come today and call for investigations into acts of violence. It is those of us who condemned it in the past and are condemning it today who can make such a call.
“Their officials are on record as having vowed that there will be violence in Akwatia. Even as they call for action to be taken, they are threatening violence,” he stated.
During the same debate, Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga downplayed the severity of the violence in Ablekuma North, comparing it to more extreme instances he had experienced in his own constituency.
“I have experienced them in real violent situations in elections. The week before this last election, there were persistent gunshots in my constituency, and I couldn’t even come out of my house. Persistent, not what you people are doing. Not this child’s play at Ablekuma. This is children playing,” he said.
However, his comments were quickly condemned by the Member of Parliament for Manhyia South, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah.
Mr. Awuah called Ayariga’s remarks inappropriate, arguing that they downplayed the seriousness of the violence at Ablekuma North.
“Today, we are being told that what happened in Ablekuma North is child’s play, and it is coming from the Majority Leader. A journalist was slapped, and we are saying it’s child’s play? A woman was assaulted, and we are saying it is child’s play? We are not surprised.”
The MP also expressed concern that such dismissive comments send the wrong message to the public, especially children watching the debate.
“Are we saying to the many children who are watching us that when we promised the people of this country reset, we were going to pursue retributive politics? This is not what you promised,” he stated.
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