Minister of State for Government Communication, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has advocated for a reduction in the transition period following elections, arguing that a shorter handover process would help prevent post-election violence.

His comments come in response to reports of destruction of state properties, allegedly by supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), after recent elections.

Speaking on Channel One TV, Kwakye Ofosu suggested that delays in transferring power contribute to political tensions and unrest. He linked the violence to past grievances, particularly from the 2016 transition, stating,

“The party that has won is not in charge, so the incoming president can’t authorise anything to be done. The outgoing government, having lost interest in governance, merely goes through the motions until they hand over. This creates a gap that party activists exploit to seek revenge for perceived wrongs.”

He emphasised that a shorter transition period would enable the incoming government to assume control of security matters more swiftly, thereby preventing party loyalists from taking matters into their own hands.

“If you close the gap and allow the new government to take over security early, these acts of violence and destruction will be minimised. It is a systemic issue, not just a one-time occurrence,” he explained.

He also highlighted that uncertainty within security agencies during a transition weakens their effectiveness, making them hesitant to act decisively.

Condemning acts of violence and the destruction of public property, Kwakye Ofosu insisted that addressing the problem required a long-term strategy rather than ad-hoc interventions.

“I will not endorse this in any shape or form. The way to tackle it is not to see it as a passing event but as part of a broader sub-culture that has taken root in our electoral system. We need a comprehensive approach to deal with it,” he stated.

He urged political stakeholders to reform transition processes to prevent such incidents in future, stressing that it is an issue beyond partisan politics.

“We must tighten the systems that govern transitions. The gaps that allow these disturbances must be plugged so that this will not happen under an NDC government, nor under an NPP government,” Kwakye Ofosu concluded.