Election 2020: NDC renews accusations of violence against NPP, police commander in Upper Manya

The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Upper Manya Krobo Constituency in the Eastern Region has reiterated accusations against the New Patriotic Party (NPP) of perpetrating and instituting systems to perpetrate violence ahead of Monday’s general elections.

The campaign spokesperson of the NDC, Kwesi Lawer made this claim while addressing a press conference at the party’s constituency office at Asesewa on Friday, December 4, 2020.

Mr. Lawer said the NDC was “vexated by the constant violence [by the] NPP, supported by the Police Commander in Upper Manya” coupled with other undemocratic intimidation tactics.

The party in the presser to address what it says were calculated acts of violence visited on innocent NDC supporters found it surprising that the NPP was still instigating violence in the constituency despite a constitutional instrument signed by the president to curtail vigilantism.

“Contrary to the Constitutional Instrument (CI) signed by the President of the Republic of Ghana, his Excellency Nana Addo to disband vigilantism, NDC wants to express our profound shock at the fact that the President’s own party caucus are behind the formation of vigilantism, terrorists, and hoodlums here in Asesewa.”

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Executives in the Upper Manya Krobo Constituency in the Eastern Region about three weeks ago raised similar alarm over alleged police and NPP intimidation and demanded a comprehensive roadmap to ensure maximum security for all residents ahead of the December 7 elections.

The party alleged that the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) was using personnel of the Ghana Police Service to torment and intimidate National Democratic Congress (NDC) members in his constituency following the arrest of some research and campaign team members of the party on the grounds that they were administering inappropriate questionnaire to the electorate.

The NDC in its Friday news conference said it was alarmed by the apparent disregard of their petition by Chief Superintendent John Yeboah, Asesewa Police Commander therefore warned the aggressors of its preparedness to “equally respond with opposite force” when its patience runs out.

Seething with rage, executives of the party who claimed they had evidence to back accusations of unprovoked violence against thugs of the NPP accused the police of refusing to act on their complaints.

What perhaps broke the camel’s back was alleged attacks on the party’s Parliamentary Candidate, Bismark Nyarko Tetteh, allegedly by NPP thugs on Thursday night.

“Just as the police relent in arresting these hoodlums, as we reported to the police yesterday the 3rd of December in the morning, these guys attacked the NDC Parliamentary Candidate in the evening of the same day. These hoodlums attacked the NDC PC with cutlasses, stones, knives and even guns and damaged his car in the process.”

The NDC which said it believed in peace and democracy since the people they seek to lead deserve peace, however warned that it was not prepared to compromise justice for peace.

Blaming the incidents on President Akufo-Addo’s failure to act on recommendations of the Emile Short Commission set up to investigate violence at Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency earlier this year, the party demanded to know from the Police Commander why the ‘hoodlums’ are walking free despite evidence to their activities being presented to him.

The NDC assured the people of its continued commitment to peace and urged them to vote for peace and not violence and to vote for justice and not vigilantes.