Ayawaso Shooting: 'Too early' for Akufo-Addo to talk – Asante defends president's silence

It is “too early” for President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to make a statement on the violence that marred the Ayawaso West Wougon by-election on Thursday, 31 January 2019, the Chairman of the National Peace Council, Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Asante has said.

Critics of the government have wondered why the president has remained silent 24 hours after some macho men in NSC-branded t-shirts who are suspected to be members of a vigilante group, fired gunshots at some voters at the Presby JHS polling station injuring six of them.

The main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) pulled out of the election as a result of the violence and has blamed and condemned the government for the attack.

Hours after the incident, former President John Mahama issued a warning to the governing New Patriotic Party that the NDC will march the NPP “boot-for-boot” in the 2020 polls if the governing party attempts to harass its members.

The Peace Council, National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), UNDP and CODEO, have all condemned the violence.

President Akufo-Addo is yet to make a statement on the incident.



Responding to the president’s critics, Rev. Asante said: “Sometimes, it is important for us to learn native wisdom. The Akans say one who is a leader does not simply jump into situations. When matters happen, you’ll assess the situation, you get all the information before you talk. The thing happened yesterday, it is too early for people to say the president has kept silent on this matter. It is not for me to defend or speak for anybody.”