A group of civil society organisations (CSOs) has raised concerns over allegations the police in Ghana were partial during the country’s 2020 presidential election.

The CSOs, Development Diaries gathered, raised the concerns as supporters of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) continue to protest against the results of the election.

The Electoral Commission (EC) declared incumbent President Nana Addo Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) winner of the 07 December election.

Akufo-Addo received 51.3 percent of the vote to defeat his predecessor, John Dramani Mahama, of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

The former president got 47.3 percent of the vote and has said he will contest the results, as he accused the electoral umpire of presiding over a ‘fraudulent outcome’.

Election observers reported violent incidents in the Ashanti, Central, and Greater Accra regions, with police saying they had recorded over 60 incidents on polling day.

The CSOs, including Civic Forum Initiative (CFI), Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG), Centre for Democratic Development (CDD), Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Norsaac and The Ark Foundation, called on the police to fast track investigations into each of the election-related violence without partiality.

‘We call on the Police to fast-track its investigations into each incident of election-related violence without fear or favour and to keep the public apprised on progress in this regard’, their statement read.

‘We call further on the National Elections Security Task Force to inform the public on progress with its investigation into the matter involving excessive force by security officers during the elections’.

They also urged the police to maintain continual dialogue with political parties and interested stakeholders and engage with citizens in a way that respects their democratic right to protest or celebrate.

Source: Ghana Web

Photo source: Commonwealth Secretariat