A Ghanaian law graduate, Gideon Afo says President Akufo-Addo is not just a “clearing agent” but has also graduated to a “clearing principal”.

His comments come after the government issued a White Paper and published the report of the Emile Short Commission which investigated the violence which characterised the Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency by-election early this year.

Starting off his analysis, Gideon Afo commended the President for establishing the commission to look into the violence that shook the entire nation. According to him, “This was a very bold decision he had to take looking at the embarrassment the whole electoral process brought to the nation in both the local and international media”.

He also expressed his respect and warm admiration for the eminent professionals who constituted the panel for the investigations into the violence, admitting “they have distinguished themselves creditably with the final report they have issued”.

The law graduate, however, opined “this is not the kind of report government must hazard doing the usual business of 'approbating' and 'reprobating'”.

In his suggestion, the government must either accept the recommendations in totality or reject them in entirety as according to him, matters bothering on elections, national security and human rights are not issues that government must waste time on.

He has since come out with his own “White Paper” and below is the full write-up:

MY WHITE PAPER ON GOVERNMENT'S WHITE PAPER, EMILE SHORT COMMISSION.

The legal maxim "quod approbo non reprobo" which means what one approves one cannot reject, best explains the government's white paper on the Emile Short Commission. First of all, we must commend the President for establishing the commission to look into the violence that shook the entire nation during the Ayawaso west Wougon byelection. This was a very bold decision he had to take looking at the embarrassment the whole electoral process brought to the nation in both the local and international media. The calibre of people appointed to constitute the panel for the investigations were eminent professionals in their various fields of endeavours who had the requisite capacity to do the commission's bidding and I must admit they have distinguished themselves creditably with the final report they have issued.

But truth must be told that this is not the kind of report government must hazard doing the usual business of 'approbating' and 'reprobating'. It's either the government accepts the recommendations in totality or reject them in entirety. Matters bothering on elections, national security and human rights are not issues that government must dilly dally with.
Any attempt to insulate these party officials indicted in the commission's report from criminal prosecution in the name of "White Paper" portends some major troubles for the government in particular and the nation's electoral process as a whole.

1. Sacrificing matters of human rights and National security on the altar of partisanship will heighten the tension in future elections under this government's watch.

2. This defeats the President's recent attempt at dealing with vigilantism regardless of the new legislation he has introduced to fight it.

3. This is also an indication that the government's commitment to allow state institutions to work is only a mirage and lacks good faith.
4. Another issue this raises is that any future commission of enquiry on any matter of national interest intended by this government will lack the trust and confidence of the public since this white paper will always be a "locus classicus" (a major point of reference).

5. It also shows a major blot on the much-touted human rights accolade held by our President even in the eyes of the International community.

6. Also by this white paper, it reveals that the political tag on the President as a reference for "clearance" of his appointees believed to have misconducted themselves in their line of duty is a sad reality and therefore any further attempt by him or those who purport to speak for him will be highly encumbered. Now perhaps, I must agree with the naysayers that he has graduated from a "clearing agent" to a "clearing Principal".


 

Source: Eric Nana Prekoh/Ghanaguardian.com