President Mahama Reveals Investigative Report on Electoral Violence, Promises Legal Action
President John Dramani Mahama has announced that he has received a comprehensive investigative report on electoral violence incidents from 2020 and 2024, promising both legal action against perpetrators and compensation for victims.
Speaking during the meetings with Ghana Journalist Association at the Presidency, President Mahama disclosed that the long-awaited report was delivered to his office last week after extensive investigations into the violent incidents that marred Ghana’s recent electoral periods.
“I wish to inform you that last week, I received the investigative report on the two incidents,” President Mahama stated, referring to the electoral violence that occurred during the 2020 and 2024 election cycles.
The President emphasized the thoroughness of the investigation, explaining that authorities have meticulously documented all aspects of the violence. The report has “detailed and catalogued everybody who was affected by the violence and what the circumstances were that led to the violence,” he revealed.
In a significant move toward accountability, President Mahama announced that the report has been forwarded to the Attorney General’s office for legal review and potential prosecution.
“We’ve handed it over to the Attorney General, so the Attorney General is going to go through and if there’s a need to hold some people culpable and bring them to book. The Attorney General will do that,” the President declared, signaling the government’s commitment to ensuring justice for electoral violence.
Beyond legal proceedings, President Mahama revealed that his administration is also focusing on providing adequate compensation for those who suffered during the electoral violence.
“We have given him [the Attorney General] the terms of reference to look at what adequate compensation would be for people who have been the victims of violence, including those who died, their families are still there, and then those who were some have been injured and are living with injury,” the President explained.
He added, “What is the adequate compensation that we can give to people like that? And so once that is done, I’m sure that if there were journalists involved, they would also be considered for compensation.”
The announcement comes as Ghana continues to grapple with the aftermath of electoral violence that has affected not only political activists and innocent bystanders but also members of the media covering electoral events.
“Elections come with a lot of emotive feelings. And sometimes when people get very emotive, they can act very irrationally,” President Mahama observed, acknowledging the volatile nature of electoral periods. “It’s not only innocent bystanders and political activists who have been caught up in electoral violence. Journalists have also been caught up in electoral violence.”
The President’s announcement represents a significant step in addressing past electoral grievances and demonstrates his administration’s commitment to strengthening Ghana’s democratic institutions through accountability and justice.
This comprehensive approach—combining legal action with victim compensation—signals the government’s determination to provide closure for those affected by electoral violence while potentially deterring future incidents through demonstrated consequences.
The Attorney General’s office is expected to begin its review of the report immediately, with updates on potential prosecutions and compensation frameworks anticipated in the coming weeks.
