Several injured in election violence in Tamale

TAMALE, Ghana, --- Several people were injured in Tamale on Thursday in separate violent incidents between supporters of the NDC and NPP. Most of them who received knife wounds, are being treated at the Tamale central hospital.

A number of people arrested, have been granted police bail whilst investigation continues. The police also seized live ammunition from a man at the Old Cemetery Road polling station. The man managed to escape arrest.

Tension started mounting when foot soldiers of both parties started trailing each other from one polling station to the other, accusing the other of attempting to rig the elections. Whilst the NDC foot soldiers were in pick-up, those of the NPP were on motorbikes and moved in groups. In an incident at the stadium polling station, a Nissan Patrol vehicle belonging to a member of the NDC had its glass shattered.

Mr David Walenkaki, Northern regional police commander appealed to the leadership of both political parties to advise their supporters to exercise restraint and report any incident of harassment to the security forces.

At Wa in the Upper West region, the timely intervention of soldiers deployed to keep peace in the town averted a nasty incident that nearly disrupted voting at the Limanyiri polling station. Briefing the Ghana News Agency after the incident, which occurred around 0930 hours, the presiding officer at the station, Mr Zonglemah John Yaw, said the trouble was sparked by an unidentified young man who wanted to interfere in the voting process.

He was alleged to have stood behind a polling official to dictate to him even though he was not a party agent. Mr Yaw said he ordered him to leave the spot but he refused. This incensed the crowd of youth who also refused to leave the scene after voting, charged on him and beat him up.

A reinforcement of soldiers and police, who arrived on the scene, used water canon control the situation. As at the time only 230 people out of a registered voter population of 1,069 had cast their votes. Voting at the other 56 polling stations in the town, however, proceeding orderly with no reported incidents except at the Wa District Assembly where soldiers again had to disperse a meeting of prominent individuals and organs associated with the National Democratic Congress (NDC)