With just two weeks to the Akwatia by-election, scheduled for September 2, 2025, political parties are intensifying engagements with the Ghana Police
With just two weeks to the Akwatia by-election, scheduled for September 2, 2025, political parties are intensifying engagements with the Ghana Police Service to ensure a peaceful process.
The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Christian Tetteh Yohunu convened a high-level meeting with both the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) to address mounting security concerns ahead of the polls.
The by-election follows the passing of Ernest Yaw Kumi, the sitting NPP Member of Parliament for Akwatia, whose death created a parliamentary vacancy.
Akwatia, historically a political hotspot, has witnessed tense electoral contests in past elections, with disputes and violence frequently marring the process.
NPP Demand Justice
At Tuesday’s meeting, the NPP delegation, led by Henry Quartey, former Interior Minister, demanded immediate arrests of individuals involved in the recent Ablekuma North electoral violence.
The party argued that the reluctance of the police to act decisively has emboldened political thuggery and could spill over into Akwatia.
“We said that thugs who were linked to the NDC, who caused mayhem, their images are all over, the videos all over, and as we speak, the Ghana Police Service has not effected any decisive arrest,” the NPP’s National Organiser, Henry Nana Boakye, told journalists after the meeting.
“If they want us to rely on these assurances, then they must work on what happened in Ablekuma North.”
The NPP accused the police of selective application of the law, citing instances where party activists had been swiftly picked up for social media comments, while more serious offenses committed by rival party supporters were overlooked.
5,000 Police
In response, the IGP assured the party that investigations into the Ablekuma violence were ongoing and that arrests would be made soon.
He also revealed that the Police Service would deploy at least 5,000 personnel across the constituency to provide adequate security at polling stations.
“The Ghana Police Service is serious about this election and we will ensure peace in Akwatia,” the IGP said, stressing that officers would act professionally and impartially.
However, NDC Deputy National Director of Elections and IT, Rashid Tanko, sought to calm party supporters who feared politically motivated arrests.
“If you are a fugitive, you should be worried. If you aren’t, why should you? If you have faulted and find yourself in Akwatia, they will arrest you,” he remarked.
The NDC also raised issues during the meeting, with its Deputy Director of Elections and IT, Rashid Tanko-Computer, calling for stricter regulation of polling station access.
He cited incidents during the Ablekuma North election where former officials entered polling areas without accreditation, escalating tensions.
“We are telling them that they need to beef up security and make sure that the fact that you are a former MP or Minister does not mean you have the right to be at the polling station,” Tanko-Computer stated.
“We, the NDC, are committed to the peace plan, but we are mindful of our opponents who may come in there with dangerous weapons.”
He specifically referenced the Ablekuma incident involving former minister Hawa Koomson, who was alleged to have carried pepper spray, as an example of lapses in security protocols.
EC Preparations
Meanwhile, the Electoral Commission (EC) has announced that the printing of ballot papers for the by-election will begin on Wednesday, August 20.
The Director of Electoral Services, Benjamin Bano-Bioh, disclosed that all procurement processes had been finalized and that the Commission was fully prepared.
“We are poised to deliver on our mandate in a professional way,” he said. “We call on political parties to play by the rules.”
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