Justice Emile Short Responds To Critics . . . We Will Be Transparent And Fair

The Chairman of the three-member Commission, Justice Emile Short has responded to critics who have questioned their integrity and ability to discharge their duties impartially.

The government of Ghana has set up the Commission of Inquiry among other things to investigate and identify any person responsible for or who has been involved in the violence that marred the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election.

However, the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) says they will not encourage its members to appear before the Commission because they cannot be trusted to do their work well.

The Deputy General Secretary of the NDC, Peter Otokunor, said: “the composition of the committee tells you they are coming to do a cover up for the president . . . we think the Commission that was set up was rather a defective one and problematic from the onset.”

“We cannot be committed to this Commission because we know it is a Commission to come and whitewash the president . . . we do not support, and we are not going to give any cooperation whatsoever,” he added.

But speaking at their swearing in ceremony, Justice Emile Short said they will "carry out (their) mandate transparently, objectively and in a fair manner."

“On behalf of the members of the Commission and the Executive Secretary, we’ll like to express our appreciation and gratitude to His Excellency the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and to you ([Vice-President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia) for giving us this opportunity to serve the nation.

“We consider this to be an extremely important assignment. I’ll also like to express my appreciation for the words of confidence you have expressed in us, particularly your statement that we have been selected because we are considered to be men and women of integrity. We’ll like to assure all and sundry that we shall carry out mandate transparently, objectively and in a fair manner, and I will like to urge all and sundry to give us all the support that we’ll need so that we can find a credible and lasting solution to the phenomenon of electoral violence and vigilante groups”.

The three-member commission has Justice Emile Short as Chairman, with Professor Henrietta Mensah-Bonsu and Mr Patrick K. Acheampong as members.

Mr. Ernest Kofi Abotsi, former Dean of the Faculty of Law of GIMPA and private legal practitioner, has been appointed as Secretary to the Commission.