Dr. Joseph Whittal, the Commissioner of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), has condemned the Ayawaso West Wuogon Member of Parliament for distributing food to voters during voting.
The Member of Parliament, Lydia Seyram Alhassan, during the special voting exercise on Monday, December 02, 2024, distributed food and water with her aides to the electorates who were in a queue to vote.
According to Dr. Whittal, the act constitutes inducement and corruption which should not be tolerated in the political space.
“It is not right to share food, money to anybody in a queue in preparation to vote, because it is tantamount to corruption and an integrity issue,” he said on Accra-based JoyNews Tuesday, December 03, 2024.
Speaking on the professional integrity of the officials who received the food, he questioned their ability to uphold fairness in similar situations on the Election Day.
“How can you come to exercise your franchise and somebody gives you food, which you don’t even know where the food is coming from, and you take it and you’re happy that it’s okay to take it, particularly when you are being allowed to exercise that franchise to go and secure the environment on the 7th [December] for all Ghanaians and you’ve started it on a false note.
“What happens if you go to the field and other people come to share food to people in line? Are you sure you will be able to cause any arrest? Because you don’t see it as a problem,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has launched an investigation into the incident, gathering evidence and witness statements to address the incident.
Dr. Whittal, commenting on the OSP’s move said the security agencies need to reorient their personnel to ensure they don’t go aboard the ethics of the process.
“That is at the level of the individual officers who were in this situation, but to not only Ghana Police but all the security agencies, their leadership, this is to tell them, this is a low performance,” he added.
However, Lydia Alhassan has denied the allegations, claiming she was not present at the Legon Police Station polling centre where the incident occurred although there are videos of her engaged in the act.
In an interview, she stated, “I wasn’t here. I don’t know if you saw me here. I came here early and left, so I’m yet to find out what happened.”
