Those criticizing Hawa Koomson are being insensitive – Freddie Blay

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) National Chairman, Hon. Freddie Blay, has described Hon. Mavis Hawa Koomson as one of the calmest female representative of the party in Parliament who cannot be tagged as a violent person

To him, calls for the sacking of the Special Development Initiatives Minister, because she fired a gun at a voter registration centre, is “absolutely needless”, adding that such calls should be “totally disregarded”.

“It is most worrying to see different groups expected to be more objective in their submissions, rather fall for the propaganda and misrepresentation of the opposition NDC in relations to the matter.”

Calls for Hawa Koomson’s sack or resignation have come from political stakeholders like the National Democratic Congress and neutral observers like the National Peace Council.

But Mr. Blay has sided with the MP, who claims she was acting in self-defence during a confrontation between persons believed to be aligned to the NPP and the NDC at a registration centre in the constituency.

“With the unfolding evidence and facts surrounding the incident, it is clear that her actions were in self-defence to the unwarranted attacks on her and her team by masked motorists invited by the NDC to disrupt the EC registration process in her constituency,” he said.

“…there is no evidence of any sort that can suggest her to be a violent individual, even in the face of extreme provocation.”

Mr. Blay further suggested that her critics were being insensitive.

“They have failed to evaluate the extent of fear and trauma this lady, mother and leader had experienced following the siege on her by sufficiently outnumbered armed hooligans hired by the NDC to disrupt the EC registration process.”

Find below the Full statement

STATEMENT BY NATIONAL CHAIRMAN OF NPP ON HAWA KOOMSON, MP AWUTU SENYA EAST

Leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has taken keen interest withdevelopments in the media surroundingits Parliamentary Candidate in Awutu Senya East Constituency, Hon. Mrs. Mavis Hawa Koomson. As much as Hon. HawaKoomson has come out with a statement to clarify the circumstances resulting in her reaction to a life threatening situation, it is most worrying to see different groups expected to be more objective in their submissions, rather fall for the propaganda and misrepresentation of the opposition NDC in relations to the matter. With the unfolding evidence and facts surrounding the incidence, it is clear that her actions were in self-defense to the unwarranted attacks on her and her team by masked motorists invited by the NDC to disrupt the EC registration process in her constituency.

Arguably, Mrs. Hawa Koomson is one of the calmest female representatives of the NPP in Parliament and there is no evidence of any sort that can suggest her to be a violent individual, even in the face of extreme provocation. Unfortunately, the NDC’s ploy to stage confusion at registration centers across the country in their quest to discredit the electoral processes and create disaffection for the NPP, seems to be gaining momentum. However, the NPP has an obligation to its members and admirers, to ensure it protects the hard-earned democratic reputation of the Party.

It would have been expected that those individuals and institutions who have found their voices after this unfortunate incident, even to the extent of calling for the resignation and/or dismissal of Mrs. Hawa Koomson, undertook a more rational assessment of the facts before unfairly ostracizing her and calling her names. They have failed to evaluate the extent of fear and trauma this lady, mother and leader had experienced following the siege on her by sufficiently outnumbered armed hooliganshired by the NDC to disrupt the EC registration process.

Besides preventing the Member of Parliament from witnessing the process in her constituency, evidential attacks on her convoy clearly demonstrates premeditation of events by the opposition NDC to humiliate, intimidate and molesther.

With the ongoing police investigations, the NPP calls on the good people of Ghana to exercise restraint in their utterances and conduct with respect to this matter. The CSOs, journalists and the army of security experts commenting on this issue must resist the temptation of emotional outbursts that are likely to fuel the violent desires of the opposition NDC, creating more indiscipline among their followers during the EC registration process and subsequently, the general elections. It is most regrettable to find highly placed individuals resorting to name-calling and equally falling for the propaganda scheme of the opposition NDC to make light the commitment of H. E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo in the fight against vigilantism and political violence in Ghana.