Ayawaso West Wuogon: Violence festering on both sides – Rawlings

Former President Jerry John Rawlings has said those who are bent on using violence to achieve their aims must be prepared to answer for their actions.

The former president noted that very little attempt was being made to prevent violence by agents of the leading political forces within the country.

Speaking after a visit to the 37 Military Hospital on Monday to visit Yaro Ishawu, a victim of the La-Bawaleshie shooting incident last Thursday, Mr Rawlings said: “By our actions and omissions, especially after 2008, we contributed immensely to laying the bed we now find ourselves in.

“We are not doing enough to contain and prevent the use of violence from without, but also from within our own,” he said.

Yaro Ishawu was hit by a bullet when armed men believed to be national security operatives stormed the residence of the NDC aspirant for the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election while the election was underway.

Six people were injured and sent to the Legon Hospital, but Ishawu who suffered a broken leg was subsequently referred to the 37 Military Hospital.

The former President noted that he had earlier visited the Medifem Hospital at Westlands to check on one Edem Tekpli, who was the victim of “our own internal violent machinery against the colleague of an aspiring parliamentarian.”

Mr Rawlings said the aspirant had used most of his savings to provide water for some of the villages in his constituency but ended up receiving a telephone call from an executive in his constituency warning him to keep off such activities and to slow down.

The former president said he could not comprehend how an aspirant could not engage in activities that will endear him to the people “like the provision of very basic water”.

Edem Tekpli was attacked at Ho at dawn on Thursday by unknown assailants who slapped, hit him and stabbed him thrice. He was initially treated at a hospital in Ho before he later travelled to Accra for a review.