Interior Minister Flags “Unjustified” Use of Live Bullets in Techiman South Polls — A Wake-Up Call for Ghana’s Election Security
The Minister for the Interior, Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, has said the injuries and deaths recorded during the 2020 general elections in the Techiman South Constituency could have been avoided if security personnel had adhered to approved crowd-control procedures. The incident, which occurred during the collation of results, saw security forces allegedly firing live ammunition at a group of civilians.
During the 2020 parliamentary election in Techiman South, chaos broke out at the collation centre following disagreements over the results. According to the Interior Minister, security officers deployed live rounds to disperse the crowd—an act he described as unjustified and inconsistent with established rules of engagement.
The shooting led to two deaths and at least six injuries. The minister explained that the decision to use live ammunition was taken without proper command oversight. He added that such situations called for restraint and the application of non-lethal methods of crowd control.
Muntaka revealed that the investigation into the matter had been hampered by environmental challenges, particularly heavy rainfall that occurred shortly after the incident. This washed away vital evidence such as bullet casings and blood samples, complicating ballistic analyses and delaying final conclusions.
Election-related violence threatens the credibility of democratic institutions and public confidence in governance. For Ghana—a country recognized as one of Africa’s most stable democracies—the Techiman South incident serves as a sobering reminder of the need for stronger election security protocols.
Across Africa, similar incidents during tightly contested elections have often led to loss of life and prolonged political tensions. The Techiman case, therefore, underscores the importance of proper training, accountability, and professional conduct among law enforcement officers assigned to manage election security.
Ghana’s 2020 general elections were largely peaceful, but isolated cases of violence were recorded across the country. Security reports indicated at least five fatalities nationwide resulting from election-related shootings, with Techiman South being the most severe.
Observers such as the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) cited the Techiman South incident as one of the key challenges that marred an otherwise credible election. The violence erupted while Electoral Commission officials were collating parliamentary results—a period often marked by heightened tension among political party supporters.
Findings from Election Investigations
The Interior Minister stated that investigators had struggled to recover ballistic evidence from the scene. “Spent shells could not be retrieved due to heavy rainfall the following day, and no bullets were extracted from the bodies of the deceased for ballistic testing,” he said. “This made it difficult to determine which weapon caused the injuries or deaths.”
Despite these challenges, Muntaka assured the public that the investigation remained active and that justice would be pursued for the victims and their families. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to transparency and accountability in resolving all outstanding election-related cases.
In a related legal development, the Wenchi High Court reportedly awarded compensation to six individuals who sustained injuries during the shooting. The court ruled that their constitutional rights to life and dignity had been violated by the actions of the security forces, further emphasizing the need for reform in the use of force during public order operations.
In the Techiman South constituency, families of the victims continue to call for justice and reform. The incident has become a symbol of the dangers of excessive force during elections and has prompted renewed calls for improved training of security officers.
The Asutifi, Tamale, and Odododiodio constituencies have also reported similar crowd-control challenges in past elections, reinforcing the need for standardized operational procedures. According to security analysts, incidents like Techiman South could have been prevented through clearer command structures, improved situational awareness, and the use of non-lethal crowd-control tools such as tear gas and rubber bullets.
- Adherence to Rules of Engagement: Security personnel must act strictly under command and follow approved operational procedures when managing election crowds.
- Improved Evidence Preservation: Investigators should be equipped to secure and preserve evidence despite environmental challenges.
- Enhanced Training: Regular training on de-escalation tactics and human rights compliance should be mandatory for all election duty officers.
- Accountability: The state must ensure that any officer found to have acted outside the law is held accountable to restore public trust.
The Techiman South tragedy remains one of the most painful episodes in Ghana’s electoral history. While investigations continue, it stands as a crucial lesson for the country ahead of future elections. The ability of law enforcement to maintain order without resorting to deadly force will determine whether Ghana continues to uphold its reputation as a beacon of democracy in Africa.
The call for justice, professionalism, and reform in election security must therefore remain a top national priority.
