Hawa Koomson’s gun acts will pollute political atmosphere – Kwesi Pratt

Veteran journalist and managing editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr has described an incident of ‘gun violence’ at the voters registration centre perpetuated by a Minister, as an act which could have dire implications on the upcoming general elections.

With barely five months to renew the mandate of elected public officials, the usual political tension and rivalry between the two main parties – NPP and NDC; has already begun building up.

But this time with an unusual twist as Mavis Hawa Koomson, Minister of Special Development Initiatives confessed her direct involvement in some discrepancies at a registration centre in her constituency.

She admitted on live radio that, “The lives of my people were in danger when the guys on motorbike came to the registration centre so I fired warning shots but I didn’t direct it to anyone…The shots I fired brought sanity to the centre because the guys on the motorbike left the centre…None of my men had guns on then when we got to the centre. I fired the shots myself…I’m a Member of Parliament, I need to protect myself...”

Per the judgement of her party faithful she only did so to protect herself but Kwesi Pratt maintains that Hawa Koomson engaged in a premeditated act which cannot be defended, per the laws.

Mr Pratt was convinced that the Minister who doubles as the Member of Parliament for the area gave herself out when she admitted to committing the act.

In an exclusive interaction with GhanaWeb, Kwesi Pratt insisted that Hawa Koomson failed to exhibit an exemplary conduct in her constituency during the registration exercise in question, asserting that “her actions were offensive and her actions will pollute the political atmosphere leading to a crucial election.”

“The excuses she gives are flimsy, she says that she acted in self-defense, there’s no ingredient of self-defense in what she did. By her own admission those actions were premeditated…She could have resorted to the law enforcement agencies for her own protection…” Mr. Pratt added.

According to him, an attempt to overlook this act will have consequences on the upcoming polls.

“What the president does with her is the president’s business but the president himself ought to know that there are consequences for all the decisions that he takes.”

Meanwhile, Hawa Koomson was reportedly invited by CID investigators at the Central Regional Police Headquarters on Friday, July 24, 2020 for questioning.

This came after massive condemnation from a section of public.