Minority spokesperson on Defence and Interior has charged government to go beyond setting up a commission to inquire into the violence that characterised the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election and implement its recommendations.

James Agalga said although the Minority welcomes government’s move to get to the bottom of the incident, it will come to nothing if at the end of the day it turns out that lip service is paid to such a serious issue.

“Government’s response shows how it is reeling under pressure piled on it by the Minority in Parliament, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and some well-meaning Ghanaians,” he told Evans Mensah on Top Story on Joy FM, Wednesday.

Explaining why they called for an independent enquiry, he said the police acting by themselves won’t have the courage to deal with acts of hooliganism and criminality that occurred at the La Bawaleshie area.

Related: Sam George slapped, beaten during Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election

“This is because you have people who are at the centre of the attacks still in office. I will be blunt here, I am talking about the National Security Minister, Bryan Acheampong, who took full responsibility for the deployment of the thugs.

Bryan Acheampong, National Security Minister

“If you look at the security architecture of our country, to some extent the National Security Minister works hand in hand with the Inspector General of Police so if he continues to stay in office how is the IGP going to be able to investigate him,” he quizzed.

Related: By-election violence: Bryan Acheampong must step down – Agalga

His comment follows government decision to establish a three-member commission to inquire into the violence that marred last Thursday’s by-election in the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency in Accra.

Former Commissioner for the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Francis Emile Short, chairs the Commission which also includes law professor, Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu and former Inspector-General of Police, Patrick Kwarteng Acheampong.

Related: Emile Short, 2 others to investigate Ayawaso West Wuogon violence

Private legal practitioner and former Dean of the GIMPA Law School, Dr. Ernest Kofi Abotsi, has also been appointed as Secretary to the Commission. 

Although Builsa North MP agrees the personalities are people who have achieved a lot in their respective fields of endeavour, he said the Minority is expecting an impartial committee. 

“In accordance with the mandate, captured in Chapter 23 of the Constitution, we hope that the enquiry will be very impartial and at the end of the day, government will implement their recommendations. 

“We wouldn’t want a repetition of what happened with the Wuaku Commission. When they finished their work, all the people it recommended to be prosecuted, not even one of them was convicted. That for me added to the protraction of the conflict in Dagbon,” he said.