General Secretary of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), John Boadu has disclosed that more violence is expected to explode at various polling stations illegal registration of minors and other acts that impede the smooth registration exercise at the various registration centres.
However, he is urging for cool heads to prevail at the various polling stations where various forms of violence are being perpetrated in the ongoing registration exercise.
Speaking on Okay FM’s 'Ade Akye Abia' programme, he explained that if political parties are not ready to stick to their decision to stay away from acts that cause violence, then more of these forms of violence is expected.
"The fact is, we as political parties must be willing to ensure a peaceful environment for both the registration and voting exercise. Acts such as bussing people and illegally registering people at various polling centres will always create some form of violence as both parties will not agree to that and hence may ignite some form of violence."
"We are only urging the police to do the right thing and restore peace in the area, but if things continue this way then people will be forced to protect themselves," he added.
CODEO's Condemnation
The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) has described the action of the Member of Parliament for Awutu-Senya East Constituency, Hon Mavis Hawa Koomson as “disturbing” and “selfish” for firing gunshots at a registration centre.
CODEO has however condemned the actions of the Special Development Initiatives Minister for firing a gun at a voters’ registration centre at Kasoa in the Central Region.
Hawa Koomson's gunshot
The Member of Parliament (MP) for the Awutu Senya East Constituency, Mavis Hawa Koomson has admitted to firing shots at a voter registration centre in her constituency on Monday, July 20, 2020 "to protect herself".
Ms Koomson who doubles as the Minister of Special Development Initiatives in a television interview on Adom TV on Monday evening said she fired "warning shots" because "there were no police around".
She said she went to the centre after receiving information that people from outside the constituency were bussed to register there as voters.
According to her, she received information last week Thursday when she visited the Step to Christ registration centre, that members of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) were transporting [bussing] people from outside the constituency, from Gomoa East and Nsawam to come and register at the Step to Christ polling station.
She claimed that particular polling station was her [NPP] stronghold and has never lost an election in that polling station [2012 and 2016].
She said she told her informant that when she sees it again, she should call her.
She said she got information again that it was happening last Friday but could not go there and there was a break on Saturday.
But on Sunday evening, she received another information that some people have been transported again from Nsawam and Gomoa East to come and register at the centre.
So she decided to visit the registration centre on Monday morning.
According to her, her Manager took the lead and arrived at the centre earlier but when she arrived at the scene, there were many boys on motorbikes and she felt her people's life and that of her's were in danger, so she fired the warning shots in an attempt to scare them, she said.
"I didn't direct it at anybody," she added and explained she did not have her police escort with her at the time.
The incident occurred at the centre situated at the Step to Christ polling station.
Reports indicate there were other gunshots apart from the one from Hawa Koomson.
Some motorbikes were burnt at the centre and EC officials at the centre were attacked as well during the confusion which disrupted the registration process for a while.
The police later intervened and arrested four people after the shooting. A gun was seized by the police.
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Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected]
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IT IS DISHEARTENED FOR GHANA PARLIAMENT AND OTHERS TO ATTACK HON, HAWA YAKUBO. HER ATTACKER HAVE NOT TAKEN THE TROUBLE TO KNOW OF WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED AT THE GROUND. IT IS EASY FOR ANY LAZY ARMED CHAIR COMMENTATOR TO CRITICIZE WITHOUT ASSESSING THE ISSUE IN DETAILS. WE MUST ASK QUESTIONS SUCH AS WHAT WAS THE FACE MASK MOTORBIKE RIDERS DOING AT THE POLLING STATION. WHAT WAS THEIR PURPOSE AND INTENTION. WE ALL KNOW IN THE PAST THAT SOME GHANAIANS WERE BEATEN AT ATIWA, CHIRIPONI AND OTHER PLACE IN POLITICAL ACTIVITIES. THE GANGSTERS ARE ALWAYS SENT BY SOME EVIL POLITICIANS TO CAUSE THE MAYHEM FOR THEM. HON, HAWA PREVENTED A REPETITION OF SUCH INCIDENTS. DO YOU THINK THAT THE MP HAWA WAS SO RECKLESS TO FIRE A WARNING SHOT WITHOUT BEING THREATENED. HAS SHE BEEN EVER ASSOCIATED WITH VIOLENCE. SHE IS NEVER KNOWN TO BE PROVOCATIVE NOR A THREAT TO PEACE IN SPEECH AND IN ACTION. I AM SERIOUSLY VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THOSE WHO HAVE CRITICIZED HER. DO THEY WANT HER TO BE ATTACKED AND HURT SO THAT THEY CAN BLAME EC FOR THE REGISTRATION WHEN WE ALL KNOW THAT WE CANNOT DO AWAY WITH THE REGISTRATION AND THE ELECTIONS. FOR HOW MANY TIMES HAVE WE NOT HEARD FROM MAHAMA AND MANY TOP NDC OFFICIALS AND OTHERS LIKE BERNARD MONA THAT THERE COULD BE NO REGISTRATION EVEN TO THE POINT OF SHEDDING BLOOD. UNFORTUNATELY THOSE TALKING TODAY NEVER SAW THE WISDOM TO CONDEMN SUCH VIOLENT UTTERANCES. NOW THE NDC FOOT SOLDIERS ARE EMBOLDENED TO EXECUTE WHAT THEIR MASTER'S KEEP TRUMPETING. IT IS SAD THAT WE DONT CRITICIZE THE BEATING OF WAR DRUMS BUT WE DO IT TO THOSE WHO PREVENT THEMSELVES FROM THEIR ATTACKS. IT IS DISAPPOINTING TO HEAR SUCH CRITICISM NOW FROM HIGH PERSONALITIES AND GROUPS LIKE KWESI ANING, CODEO, REV. EMMANUEL ASANTE, MPS AND OTHERS, WHEN WE HAVE NOT HEARD FROM THEM ANY STRONG CONDEMNATION AGAINST THE REPEATED CALL OF VIOLENCE TO MEET THE REGISTRATION. IF FOR ANYTHING HAWA MUST BE PRAISED FOR ACTING TO PREVENT GHANA TO BE IN THE FOREIGN MEDIA FOR A BAD NEWS. AFTER ALL SHE DID NOT AIM THE GUN AT ANYBODY TO INJURE ANY PERSON? SHE ONLY PROTECTED HERSELF AND OTHERS TO SPARE EC, THE GOVERNMENT AND THE NATION FROM THE LITANY OF NDC BLAME FOR WHAT THEY HAVE WISHED. IT IS SAD THAT PEOPLE SIT IN THE COMFORT OF THEIR HOMES AND CRITICIZE THE HARD WORKING WOMAN IN THE FIELD TO MONITOR THE REGISTRATION. NONE OF SUCH PEOPLE HAVE GONE OUT TO ANY OF THE HOT SPOTS LIKE KASOA TO SEE FOR THEMSELVES ABOUT WHAT IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING ON THE GROUND. EVEN A SIMPLE KEEN MONITORING FROM THE MEDIA CAN TELL ANYONE THAT KASOA SINCE DAY ONE OF THE REGISTRATION HAS ALWAYS BEEN IN THE NEWS FOR VIOLENCE AND MISUNDERSTANDING. I WILL PLEAD WITH HAWA TO BEEF UP HER PERSONAL SECURITY THE NEXT TIME SHE IS OUT. THE POLICE MUST ALSO INTENSIFY THEIR SURVEILLANCE AT KASOA AND ANY OTHER HOT SPOTS TO PREVENT THE BLOOD SHED TRUMPETED BY THE ENEMIES OD DEMOCRACY.
John mo ye bi bi wai. this woman must be disciplined. this is wholly uncalled for and it must be seriously condemned. she should have tendered her resignation already instead of defending herself. when she got there were the people aggressive towards her to merit letting go off the gun? some people don't know how to handle power or fame.
Doing damage control or condemning, interesting characters. Shameful Government to the core.
Cool heads should prevail? Really? Oh NPP you are such a disappointment...... Would the same principle apply if it was a different person?
The action was uncalled for, supposing someone also had a gun and decided to pull it.