By Ashiadey Dotse
Legal practitioner and member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) legal team, Mr. Ishaq Ibrahim, has called for the establishment of an independent body to investigate crimes committed by security officers during elections.
The lawyer said said this during an interview on GTV’s Current Agenda Show on Saturday November 8, 2025, following the recent publication of investigative report on the 2020 and 2024 electoral violence released by the Minister for the Interior.
According to him, electoral violence should never be tolerated in a democratic system, regardless of which political party is in government. He explained that the report clearly shows that much of the violence recorded during the elections was carried out by some members of the security agencies, and not ordinary party supporters.
Mr. Ibrahim said this raises questions about the level of independence and accountability within Ghana’s security services. He noted that when those who are supposed to ensure safety become involved in violence, there must be a system that is completely independent to hold them accountable.
He also argued that the current practice where security institutions investigate themselves cannot lead to justice, and this is why no real consequences have been seen over the years.
He stressed that if officers who abuse their powers are properly punished, the cycle of violence will reduce significantly. He added that police training must also be reviewed to make it more human-centered, with strong emphasis on human rights, especially the right to life.
Ishaq Ibrahim further commended political leaders who have accepted election results peacefully in the past, saying such actions have prevented violence and saved lives.
He concluded by saying Ghana must act now, because “doing the same things over and over and expecting different results is madness,” especially when lives continue to be lost without accountability.
