Minister Shoots At Reform Boys

The National Reform Party (NRP) Parliamentary candidate for Ketu South, Mr. Ayi Selorm Henyo, has confirmed police reports that the Volta Regional Minister, Colonel Agbenaza and his personal bodyguard, using an A.K. 47 assault rifle shot at his campaign team on 13th of October, 2000 at about 7:00pm at Ho. One person was reported wounded during the melee.

Mr. Henyo, who was the constituency chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and also a former presiding member of the Ketu South District Assembly, told Chronicle that members of the NDC who accompanied the Regional Minister brutalised and manhandled the Reform Party supporters. But, in a swift reaction to Chronicle's enquiries about the shooting incident, the Regional Minister said the shots were not aimed to hurt or kill supporters of the NRP.

Colonel Agbenaza told Chronicle in a telephone interview that, even though shots were fired from his house, it was a warning signal to the Reform activists who had earlier sent messages that they were coming to cause trouble.

According to Mr. Henyo, at about 6:30pm, on that fateful day, Messrs George Henyo, Folson Catholic Hodo and Martin, a radio mechanic, touring the constituency in a Reform Party campaign van, stopped at a drinking spot close the Regional Minister's residency.

He said they went in for a drink. Moments later, Winfred Asinyou, a close aide to the minister came out screaming and pouring out insults on the supporters of the National Reform Party, saying they are thieves. Henyo said his supporters responded with a refrain that whether the NDC liked it or not, the Reform Party will capture the seat of the NDC.

The NRP Parliamentary candidate told Chronicle that when Colonel Agbenaza came out of the residency and saw the party van, he rushed to his house, picked up an AK 47 assault rifle and ordered members of the Reform Party to move away, else he would shoot them. Chronicle learnt that just as the Reform activists were about to board their campaign vehicle, four NDC supporters, namely Peter Tetteh, Lucas Agbematso, David and Akatapore Anungu, emerged with sticks and clubs and started beating the Reform supporters.

Whilst the beatings lasted, the regional minister and his bodyguard also fired several shots which sent residents of the area running for safety. Mr. Henyo said he has since reported the shooting incident to the Denu Police for investigations.

When pressed to comment on Mr. Henyo's allegations, Col. Agbenaza told Chronicle that there were, indeed, gunshots, but it was in reaction to the threat posed by supporters of the Reform Party. The Regional Minister said on that day, there were over twenty NDC supporters in the residency when they were informed that supporters of the NRP have threatened to create panic.

Col. Agbenaza said at about 7:00 in the night, he heard a party van blaring music and causing commotion. This incensed him and his bodyguard so they went for their guns and fired some warning shots. "None of us stepped out of my house. All my shots were fired in the hose to tell them that we are prepared for them." I am a trained officer. The police and the army trained me so, I know how to defend myself. There were gunshots.

But, they were just warning shots", Col. Agbenaza told the Chronicle in response to questions. When asked about the political situation in the constituency, Mr. Henyo said it is stable, but he does not know what plot the regional minister has hatched against him. Since it is obvious that he is the only thorn in his flesh.

Mr. Joseph Otoo Assilfie, Public Relations Officer of the United Ghana Movement (UGM) described the incident as unfortunate when reached for his comments. Joseph Assilfie said recently a code of conduct for all political parties was promulgated for which the NDC is a signatory.

According to Mr. Assilfie, the code stated that parties should accommodate each other no matter the provocation. "For somebody in a responsible position as a minister of state to fire shots because of people he perceived as his opponents, is too bad. He should be subjected to the full rigours of the law. He asked the regional minister to apologise to the NRP.

Mr. Dan Botwe, General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) refused to comment on the issue, saying it will be better to wait for the full story to be published before his party can issue a statement on it.

Mr. Dan Botwe, however, assured the Chronicle that the NPP will surely react positively if the story comes out. Efforts to get Mr. Larry Bimin of the NCCE to comment on the issue proved impossible.