Publish Short report before passing legislation on vigilantism – Minority to Nana Addo
The Minority in Parliament is demanding the immediate publication of the Justice Emile Short Commission Report on the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election violence.
According to the Ranking Member on Parliament’s Defence and Interior Committee, James Agalga, there is a compelling reason for the President to cause the publication of the report despite the fact that the constitutional time bar of six months within which to release the report has not elapsed.
Addressing the press in Parliament, James Agalga indicated that good governance dictates that the President publishes the report to inform the processes already underway in Parliament to find a solution to political vigilantism.
“Notwithstanding the discretionary powers vested in the President in Article 280 (4), on the publication or otherwise of the report of a committee of enquiry, there are compelling reasons why it will be grossly misconceived for the president to seek refuge under the said Article. The Emile Short Committee report deals directly with political-related violence and acts of political party vigilantism and necessarily must serve as source material for Parliament’s review before any legislation on vigilantism can be passed.”
“President Akufo-Addo must hold the tenets of good governance by publishing the Emile Short’s Commission’s report given the public interest nature of the issue investigated by the said commission.”
The Commission, which was set up to probe the violence, presented its report to the President but has since not been published yet.
President Akufo-Addo has however said that, the government will do its best to implement the recommendations of the report.
The report among other things outlines the findings and recommendations from the committee’s probe of the violence.
When the document was presented to the President, Chairman of the Commission, Justice Emile Short did not give details of the report but was optimistic that the recommendations will be implemented.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has also made a similar call on President Akufo-Addo to publish the Justice Emile Short Commission of Inquiry’s report on the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election violence.