Assin North By-Election: Ghanaians are Short-Sighted – Lawyer Dankwa
In response to recent videos and images circulating on social media showing individuals boldly admitting to receiving bribes during the Assin North by-election, renowned lawyer Nicholas Osei Dankwa has pointed out that many Ghanaians fail to grasp the repercussions of their actions due to a lack of sufficient education on the matter.
“Ghanaians are short-sighted. They do not think of the implications of their actions. Everything is about politics,” he said in a interview on Nkwantannanso with George Adjei on June 27.
When questioned about who can legally hold such individuals accountable, he explained that while ultimate power lies with the Attorney-General in Ghana, certain institutions like the office of the Special Prosecutor also possess limited powers.
However, due to the involvement of politicians in these cases, prosecutions are often overlooked and left unpunished.
Lawyer Dankwa cited the Attorney-General’s office as an example, emphasizing that it is a political entity that is susceptible to influence by the sitting government.
“Everything is politics,” he remarked. “Political parties often accuse their opponents of engaging in bribery for votes. If they genuinely wish to address this issue, they should resort to legal means. However, some prosecutions may tarnish the ruling government’s image, making it unlikely for the Attorney-General to take action.”
Responding to concerns about the Special Prosecutor’s effectiveness in tackling electoral offenses, Lawyer Dankwa acknowledged that the office would still be required to utilize the court system, which can impact the efficiency of their work.
In order to combat electoral offenses effectively, he proposed the establishment of an impartial body similar to the Special Prosecutor, dedicated specifically to overseeing the electoral processes and addressing electoral offenses.
He argued that such a body would be independent from political influence and better equipped to handle cases of this nature.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have been trading accusations regarding vote buying in the Assin North by-election.
