Ayawaso violence: Government to restart compensation process on October 28

National Security Ministry has set Thursday, October 28, 2021, as a new date to begin the processes to compensate the victims of the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election violence.

This comes after the planned payment of compensation packages to the victims by the Ministry on Friday came to an abrupt end after concerns were raised over the process.

Lawyers of the victims called for the suspension of the procedure for further deliberations to allow for transparency and fairness in determining the compensation package to each victim.

Osei Bonsu Dickson, the Head of Legal at the National Security Ministry, said the concerns were legitimate and would be addressed.

“We will have that engagement so that if they want to see a walkthrough, that should be fine for us. So next week [Thursday], God willing, we should have the compensations,” he said to Citi News.

“If you fail to appear, that will not stop anything. If you are awarded something, and you won't take it, that is not an issue. You have a choice, and you can take whatever action that seems best for you,” Mr. Dickson said.

The compensations were part of recommendations from the Emile Short Commission that probed the Ayawaso West Wuogon violence, which occurred on January 31, 2019.

On the day of the by-election, National Security personnel drove in police armoured vehicles to a polling centre at La Bawaleshie and assaulted and shot at some supporters of Delali Brempong, the candidate of the opposition National Democratic Congress.

Six persons were wounded, with others sustaining minor injuries.

—citinewsroom