Accra: Rev. Ntim Fordjour, Member of Parliament for Assin South, has condemned the violence that erupted at the St. Peter Society polling station during the Ablekuma North constituency rerun. Confusion ensued when a group of macho men stormed the station, leading Electoral Commission officials to temporarily suspend voting. Among those assaulted were Mavis Hawa Koomson, former Minister of Fisheries, and other New Patriotic Party (NPP) officials present at the scene.
According to Ghana News Agency, Madam Hawa Koomson and the NPP officials reportedly sustained physical injuries during the attack, which prompted an increase in security measures at the polling station. Speaking to the media after visiting the center, Rev. Fordjour expressed his concern and called for peace. He emphasized the importance of maintaining a peaceful democracy, stating, “Ghana is all that we have; it is important that we make it peaceful. Democracy must be an expression of opinions through voting to determine your decision. It shouldn’t degenerate into the kind of violence we have seen today.”
Rev. Fordjour further condemned the violence, urging that voting day should remain peaceful. He warned that such incidents could harm Ghana’s democratic reputation and called for an end to violence. “It is going to destroy the gains we have made in our democracy. It’s not good for the reputation Ghana has. We need to move beyond violence,” he stated.
In a related development, Nana Akua Afriyie, the NPP parliamentary candidate for Ablekuma North, accused political opponents of orchestrating the attacks to disrupt the process and reduce her margin of victory. “There are hoodlums, thugs, machomen everywhere, and everywhere is chaotic. All these are orchestrated to suppress my margin. The NDC knows that every voter who will come to these polling stations will vote for me, hence the chaos,” she alleged.
Afriyie also disclosed that a supporter of the NPP was injured and hospitalized following an assault at the Light of Gospel Miracle Church polling station. She urged voters to come out despite the chaos, reassuring them of enhanced security. “Because of the chaos, people are scared to come out to vote, but I want to urge my people to come out to vote because there’s enhanced security. They have assaulted some of our people at the Light of Gospel Miracle Church polling station as well, and one is at the hospital. Why do you have to do this?” she questioned.
Meanwhile, the NPP has formally appealed to the Inspector General of Police, Christian Tetteh Yohuno, to ensure maximum protection for voters and party supporters amid rising tensions.