Election 2020: Hawa Koomson behind Kasoa shooting, we’ll defend ourselves - NDC

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Awutu Senya East Constituency has accused the New Patriotic Party (NPP) of being behind the shooting incident that took place at an area close to the house of the NDC’s parliamentary candidate.

Earlier today, a Toyota V8 Land Cruiser chased the convoy of the NDC’s parliamentary candidate and shot at two members of the entourage.

According to Stephen Delali Sowekpor, the constituency communication officer, there will be a reprisal attack should the police fail to act swiftly and arrest the perpetrators.

Explaining the shooting incident to the press, Mr Sowekpor said: “A group of well-built guys using a V8, wielding guns and ammunition, were chasing her [NDC parliamentary candidate] car and pursuing us, so, we thought something had happened at the polling station where she cast her vote.

“So, we decided to rush to the polling station only to realise that these are a group of thugs who were sent by Madam Mavis Hawa Koomson.”

Mr Sowekpor noted that the NDC does not trust the police to handle the matter and threatened to defend themselves.

He said: “You recall that during the registration exercise, these are the same people who stormed the Step to Christ polling centre and fired a warning shot, which Madam Mavis Hawa Koomson admitted to on live TV that she was responsible for firing that warning shot.

“We lodged a complaint at the Kasoa divisional police command, nothing happened ... the matter was sent to the regional police command in Cape Coast, they did nothing about it to the extent that we were told the crime officer has been transferred to the Eastern Region.

“So, today, what actually happened, as we speak, two of our cars have been damaged. One of our guy’s finger has been shot at and one had his arm shot at and he’s been rushed to the 37 military hospital for treatment.

“We’ve gone to the Kasoa police station to make this official but to be honest with you, we don’t trust the Kasoa divisional police command. This is not the first time Honourable Mavis Hawa Koomson has demonstrated her obsession when it comes to violence.

“This is not the first time she has demonstrated that the only way she intends to win the 2020 election in the Awutu Senya East constituency is through violence and countless numbers, we’ve lodged complaints at the Kasoa divisional police command and as far as we are concerned, so long as President Nana Akufo-Addo remains the commander-in-chief of the Ghana Armed Forces, Honorable Mavis Hawa Koomson is above the laws of this country and we have come to a point where we have no option than to defend ourselves because this is not going to be the first time this is happening.”

He alleged: “We know that there is a well-coordinated plan that they intend to unleash mayhem on members of the National Democratic Congress so that it will instil fear into members of the NDC and the good people of Awutu Senya East constituency so that they will not go out there and cast their vote.

“What we are telling them is enough. The NDC is a political party born out of a revolution, it is a political party made up of men and women who are strong … we are sending a signal to the divisional police commander and the police service of Awutu Senya East constituency that the constitution of the Republic of Ghana gives us the right to protect ourselves when the police are unable to protect us.

“We are tired of the empty rhetoric, enough of the assurances, we want something to be done about these hoodlums who stormed the premises of our next MP to attack her all for a vote to the extent that members of her convoy have been attacked. We think the police are not willing to protect us … ”

Mr Sowekpor urged all NDC supporters to remain resolute until the election is over and their candidate Mr John Dramani Mahama is declared the winner.