The Minority in Parliament is demanding urgent answers over the deaths recorded during the just-ended election.

At least three persons died during the 2024 election and its aftermath while at least eight died in 2020.

Tamale North MP, Alhassan Suhuyini, says election-related deaths must not be normalised demanding that the Defence and Interior Ministers provide answers to the House.

“Mr Speaker, even though time is limited, space must be created for a security briefing on the just-ended elections. This government may not have another opportunity to address the nation on how well—or otherwise—they have handled security during the elections,” he stated.

Mr. Suhuyini stressed the importance of addressing the recurring loss of lives during elections.

“Loss of lives during elections must not become the norm. Our elections should not always result in the loss of Ghanaian lives. Mr Speaker, this is happening far too often. The first time we witnessed such incidents was during the 2020 general elections, where about eight lives were lost.

“In this recent election, we have already been informed of two or three deaths. As we speak, a family in Tolon, Nyankpala, is preparing for a funeral tomorrow, with about 15 others nursing various degrees of injuries,” he added.

The Tamale North MP insisted that Parliament must take measures to investigate what went wrong and ensure such tragedies do not occur in future elections.

Read also: Government had no role in 2024 election security; hold IGP accountable – Defense Minister to Speaker

But in a sharp response, the Defense Minister Dominic Nitiwul has firmly stated that the government should not be held accountable for any security failures during the 2024 general elections.

He made it clear that responsibility rests with the National Elections Security Task Force, headed by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, which was tasked with overseeing the security arrangements throughout the election process.

He maintained that any inquiries about election-related security issues should be directed at the Task Force, not government ministers or appointees, as they were not involved in security management.

“In both the lead-up to and following the elections, the National Elections Security Task Force, under the leadership of the IGP, was responsible for maintaining order. If the Speaker or the House feels the need to summon security officials to brief Parliament, it must be the IGP and his team, as ministers and government appointees were not involved,” he explained.

He further emphasised that the Executive should not oversee security during elections, as it would conflict with the principle of impartiality.