Rev. Dr. Kwabena Opuni-Frimpong, Executive Director of Alliance for Christian Advocacy Africa, has expressed deep concern over the persistent issue of electoral violence and the resulting deaths in Ghana. The former General Secretary of the Christian Council emphasized that the collective responsibility of the citizenry is heavy, as violence has tainted nearly every election.
In an interview with Accra-based Citi FM, Rev. Opuni-Frimpong lamented the lack of action from leaders regarding electoral violence, particularly in light of the eight lives lost during the 2020 general elections. “Sometimes you ask yourself, why are our leaders not worried about these electoral violence and electoral deaths? Our hands are so bloody, and we must be worried as a country. It is not only in the 2020 general elections; almost all elections have recorded deaths,” he stated.
He called for transparency in the ongoing investigations into the 2020 violence, stressing that citizens should be informed about the progress made and actions taken against those responsible. “Going into the 2024 election, if the government and the Ghana Police Service can provide evidence that investigations are ongoing, and we know who we are prosecuting, it would contribute to the peace process,” he added.
Rev. Opuni-Frimpong insisted that the individuals behind the deaths must be found and prosecuted, with consideration given to compensating the victims’ families. He also highlighted the need for political will to confront the issue directly and to avoid inflammatory language that incites violence.
“The political parties must engage in dialogue among themselves to heal the wounds and communicate with their supporters,” he urged. He called on members of both the NPP and NDC to publicly denounce unacceptable comments and actions from their ranks, emphasizing that it is concerning that no one from these parties has condemned such behavior publicly. “It is very worrying that when their people come out, you can’t get a single person in the NPP going public that, ‘yes, you are part of us, but this comment is unacceptable.’ You don’t get someone from the NDC either,” he noted.