Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram, Sam George has questioned why months after the Emile Short Commission released its report on the Ayawaso West Wugon by-elections, recommendations outlined have not been implemented by President Akufo-Addo.

Sam George, a victim of the violence that took place at the La-Bawaleshie polling station accused the President of appointing himself prosecutor, jury and judge, hence his inability to punish persons indicted.

Speaking at a durbar held Friday January 31, to mark the first anniversary of the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election violence, the outspoken MP asked the ruling government to be minded by the saying that, the power of the people is greater than the people in power.

Read his full speech below

“Despots are elected and deposed. Laws are passed and repealed. Nations rise and fall. Individual liberty is eternal.” ”• A.E. Samaan

The death of a colleague in Parliament and one I considered a big brother, Hon. Emmanuel Boakye Agyarko lead to a by-election in the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency. What should have been a simple democratic event turned out to be a bloodbath that would be remembered as one of the darkest days in the political history of our country. The grounds upon which we stand today were desecrated and defiled by the sheer brutality and wickedness of a few blood thirsty individuals hiding behind the veil of state security. Cowards who but for the uniforms they adorned and the weapons they brandished would tremble at the knees at the sight of many who had come out that fateful day to cast their ballots.

What started for me at 6:30am in front of Legon Hall on the University of Ghana campus as a routine electoral assignment as an election monitor coordinating my colleague MPs who were going to be monitoring the elections very quickly became a nightmare that has left me and many others scared for life. As Aeschines famously stated, “Be assured, fellow citizens, that in a democracy it is the laws that guard the person of the citizen and the constitution of the state, whereas the despot and the oligarch find their protection in suspicion and in armed guards.”

The 31^st of January 2019 saw the despotic government of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his henchmen used hired armed guards attired in National Security apparel and holding arms purchased with our taxes for our protection as citizens commence their rampage by attacking our deputy National Women Organizer, Maame Efua Sekyi Addo and claiming to have arrested her for taking pictures. May I ask, who when engaged in lawful exercise of their mandate gets offended that evidence of their action is being taken? It is but the guilty who seek to cover their actions perpetrated in the public glare for they know the consequence thereof when well-meaning citizens see their actions.

These hoodlums did not stop there. They proceeded like a pack of rabid dogs to the residence of our Parliamentary candidate at the time, Delali Brempong with only one aim in mind – to ransack his private residence and pillage it. When they were stopped by party faithful at the residence, they resorted to the standard modus operandi of despots – the use of brutal force. The unleashed an unrelenting volley of bullets into the crowd of unarmed Ghanaian citizens injuring and maiming comrades, some of whom are present today, with only one aim – cause as much human damage as possible. They sought to sow the seeds of fear into us and cower us using brute force. As Philip G. Zimbardo said in the Lucifer Effect, “Fear is the State's psychological weapon of choice to frighten citizens into sacrificing their basic freedoms and rule-of-law protections in exchange for the security promised by their all-powerful government.” We however refused to be frightened and in the face of the terror unleashed on ordinary Ghanaian citizens, whose sole aim that memorable day was to exercise their franchise, we spoke truth to authority. We challenged them with the convictions of our hearts, even at the peril of our lives. As George Orwell puts it, “Despotic governments can stand 'moral force' till the cows come home; what they fear is physical force.” Their only resort when we spoke truth to authority was to inflict further violence on us.

For speaking truth to authority and cautioning these marauding hoodlums who were sanctioned agents of our national despot, I was physically attacked by two of these cowards. Mohammed Sulemana, who until his so-called recruitment into National Security in 2018 had been the NPP Youth Organizer for the Nanton Constituency was the coward who thought assaulting me would shut me up. He rather gave me a voice. He gave millions of well-meaning Ghanaians a voice to speak our collective truth to power. Our spirits remain unbroken and our resolve as strong as ever to seek justice. The pressure of Ghanaians compelled the Chief Despot to set up a commission of Inquiry – the Emile Short Commission. He and his cabal expected to have a whitewash of events. They were wrong.

We appeared before the Commission and told the truth as we had seen and known it backed by irrefutable evidence. Forensic tests by the Commission and site visits corroborated our story and exposed the lies of the National Security set-up. The dysfunction in our National Security architecture was on display for all to see. We heard how hoodlums were given masks to prevent mosquito bites. We saw how poorly trained party foot soldiers were given weapons like toffees and sent out to wreak havoc on unarmed citizens after just three weeks of training on how to use a walkie-talkie and read maps. The Commission revealed to all and sundry that the sad events of January 31, 2019 were a premeditated, cold and calculated attempt to cause mayhem and inflict maximum damage on members of the National Democratic Congress. This is the modus operandi of despots. As Charles Fourier tells us, “Despots prefer the friendship of the dog, who, unjustly mistreated and debased, still loves and serves the man who wronged him.” Unfortunately for them, we are not dogs. We are Lions. We fight back and we would not relent until we achieve justice. One way or the other.

The Emile Short Commission issued their report and indicted extensively the President, his dysfunctional appointments to the National Security apparatus and individuals involved and identified in the unfortunate incidents on the day of the by-election. The President roundly rejected their finding. His actions give true meaning to the words of Danielle Tremblay when she says “Despotism favors the despot, nepotism favors the despot's genes.” This is the perfect picture of the Republic today. The President became prosecution, judge and jury in his white paper when he turns the criminal code upside down and cited non-existent defenses in rubbishing the report of his own Commission. Mr. President, the Commissioners had no option than to reach those conclusions in the light of the overwhelming evidence adduced before them. To this end, next week, the National Democratic Congress and I would be filing a legal challenge to portions of the President’s white paper in Court to establish the fact that his position is alien to the laws of the land. We are demanding an immediate implementation of the recommendations of the Emile Short Commission. PWe would seek justice no matter how long and arduous the task may be and we would find justice. One day. Some day. Soon.

John Myer puts it succinctly when he says “History has seen many who claim to be deliverer and saviour of the people. They might come with force and violence and parade their might and splendour as conquerors. The pharaohs of Egypt, Sennacherib   of Assyria, Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, Darius of Persia, Alexander the Great, Hannibal, Napoleon, Clive of India, Bismarck, the Kaiser, Hitler, Stalin. The story and scene is always the same. They claim to deliver the people from bondage and to establish justice, freedom and peace. They come in might, riding in splendour, dragging prisoners.” I would not be wrong to put Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo in this category of despots. For not even under the shackles of military rule did we see such brazen abuse of state power and for one who is self-acclaimed as a defender of individual liberties and human rights, his actions betray his true character. He portrays himself as an angel of light when he is full of evil, viciousness and vendetta.

As we mark the first anniversary of the dastardly acts that occurred in this vicinity a year ago, we are minded by the elections ahead and say NEVER AGAIN! Never again should citizens be subjected to the violent proclivities of those in power. Never again should the individual liberties of citizens be unjustly curtailed by supposed State actors. Never again should our right to exercise a democratic franchise be curtailed by cold, premeditated violence. Let those who parade the corridors of power know and be reminded today that the power of the people is greater than the people in power.

GOD bless our Homeland Ghana and help us to resist oppressors rule!