MURDER OF AMADU DANLADI, THE MISIGA POLLING STATION CHAIRMAN OF
THE NEW PATRIOTIC PARTY IN THE BAWKU CENTRAL CONSTITUENCY
On the night of Thursday, 15th April 2010, at approximately 8.00 pm, supposedly under curfew
hours, the late Amadu Danladi, the Misiga polling station chairman of the NPP was attacked in
his home and shot to death. His wife was also shot several times and is seriously wounded. We
continue to pray for her as she battles to hold on to life.
It is important to state that this attack on our brother’s life was not the first. He has been the
victim of several attacks by his political opponents in recent times. In February 2010, his cattle
was invaded and destroyed. Not satisfied with the difficult life into which this unprovoked attack
brought upon him, his opponents decided this time to take his life altogether.
Ladies and gentlemen, the surge in violence in Bawku and its surroundings since the NDC came
into government is not coincidence. Indeed, we are seeing this pattern in several parts of the
country.
In the specific case of Bawku, the area saw relative peace over the period preceding January
2009. It was not through any extraordinary skill of the then NPP government at peace keeping
that made this possible. It was simply the result of the even-handed and sincere manner in
which the then government related to the issues of the area.
Since January 2009, the NDC government has abandoned the policy of even-handedness and
provided tacit support for Kussasis acting under the umbrella of the NDC government to visit
violence on not just Mamprusis, but anybody perceived to be a leading member or supporter of
the NPP in that neighbourhood.
This attitude of government has emboldened thugs and trouble makers to attack innocent
citizens at will and with impunity. And they continue to roam the streets with their chests out.
The government has chosen to look the other way while the situation deteriorates alarmingly.
We all saw the video footages and still pictures of unauthorised armies being trained in guerrilla
camps in the Upper East Region. When their cover was blown and the matter came into the
open, only one person was arrested. His name was Sulemana Yusif Assanna. It is of immense
interest that Mr Assanna is the son of the NDC Constituency Chairman of the area. He was
immediately transported to Accra.
Was he brought to Accra to be investigated? That was what everybody thought. But it turned out
that he was actually brought to Accra to be freed quietly. And he was freed quietly without a
statement from him. All of this happened under the full watch of Hon Cletus Avoka, the then
NDC Minister for Interior.
NEW PATRIOTIC PARTY
Headquarters, Private Mail Bag, Accra-North, Ghana
Tel: +233 21 227 737 / 229 030 / 228 104 Fax: +233 21 229 048
Email: npp@africaonline.com.gh
NEW PATRIOTIC PARTY
DEVELOPMENT IN FREEDOM
As a signal to the violent elements in the NDC across the country that they could always count
on the protection of the NDC government in whatever they do, Mr Assanna has now been
employed as a national security personnel at the castle, the seat of government.
There have been countless attacks in Bawku, some of them resulting in the deaths of the
victims. Many of them have been publicly discussed. But the sad attack on the late Amadu
Danladi, the NPP polling station chairman of Misiga is very similar to the attack on the NPP
constituency vice chairman Alhaji Bukari Kiri last year.
Alhaji Bukari Kiri’s house and farm premises were attacked and burnt to ashes. He lost 54 cows
and 200 sheep, and his award-wining grain barn was razed to the ground. The once Best Farmer
for the municipality now has to struggle to feed himself and his family.
Ladies and gentlemen, if government maintains its unhealthy support for thugs and bloodthirsty
criminals, those who have been at the receiving end of the violence in Bawku and elsewhere but
have been denied state protection may rise to protect themselves. The consequence would be
unpleasant for the Bawku area, unpleasant for the adjoining neighbours, and ultimately,
unpleasant for the country as a whole.
Already, commercial activities have completely come to a halt in Bawku. Food markets have
closed down, and economic activities completely disrupted in that part of the country. This
means people who are healthy cannot come out and work for their livelihoods. In the longer run,
the development in the area would slow down, and it would cost the state considerable infusion
of resources to restore the current state of development.
We condemn in no uncertain terms the blatant display of one-sidedness by the government of
our Republic and the escalating violence in Bawku. There is both moral and constitutional burden
on government to retract from this unhealthy support for criminals and trouble makers, arrest
and prosecute suspects, and signal to all residents of Bawku that government can be a mediating
mother in the conflicts of that area.
The Mills administration should not refuse this advice. In the end, when the Bawku society may
have been torn apart by conflicts, the NDC may boast of having stood loyally behind its “allies” in
the clashes of that area, but the blood of the many who would have lost their lives in these
conflicts would forever be on the hands on those who had a responsibility to offer protection but
did the opposite.
We take this opportunity to express our fervent hope that the wife of the late Amadu Danladi
survives the gunshots she received in the attack on their household. We further extend our
condolences to the loved-ones and survivors of all those who have lost their lives in these
conflicts, and also to those whose lives have been broken or traumatised by violence visited on
them by their fellow human beings.
Thank you.
Jake Obetsebi Lamptey
National Chairman
DEVELOPMENT IN FREEDOM
