Abena Korkor Asante
The Minority Women’s Caucus in Parliament has called for President John Mahama to immediately dismiss two top officials in his administration over what they describe as the endorsement and glorification of political violence during the recent parliamentary re-run in Ablekuma North Constituency.
At a press conference addressed by Abena Korkor Asante, Member of Parliament for Atiwa West, and flanked by her colleagues, the Caucus described the July 11 violence in Ablekuma North as the gravest assault on Ghana’s democratic values since the country’s return to constitutional rule.
According to them, the attacks, which targeted opposition figures, party agents, and journalists, were not isolated incidents but rather coordinated and systematic attempts to dismantle the electoral process through brute force.
The Caucus recounted harrowing scenes of violence that unfolded at several polling stations, including the St. Peter’s Society Methodist Church polling station in Odorkor, where a group of armed individuals arrived on motorbikes and in vehicles and launched brutal attacks on persons participating in the electoral process.
Among the victims, they pointed to, was Mavis Hawa Koomson, former MP for Awutu Senya East, who was physically assaulted in “a degrading and inhumane attack.”
The Minority Women’s Caucus said the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP’s) parliamentary candidate, Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie, also sustained facial injuries requiring medical attention.
According to them, other party officials, including former Okaikwei South MP Darkoa Newman and a female agent, were similarly attacked, while voters and electoral officials fled in panic.
Korkor Asante stated that violence was also reported at the Awoshie DVLA polling station, where the Caucus said individuals dressed in brown uniforms impersonated security officers in an attempt to deceive and intimidate.
When confronted by legitimate security personnel, she said the imposters reportedly failed to produce identification, exposing what the Caucus called a calculated plan to subvert the election through impersonation and intimidation.
At the Asiedu Gyedu Memorial School polling station, the Caucus indicated that violent confrontations between National Democratic Congress (NDC) operatives and police officers created a chaotic environment that disrupted voting and endangered public safety.
Perhaps the most alarming episode, the Caucus noted, was the targeted physical attack on Chris Lloyd Nii Kwei Asamoah, Deputy National Organiser of the NPP, which they said pointed to a deliberate and coordinated campaign to undermine opposition leadership and disrupt democratic processes.
These attacks, according to the Caucus, were executed with military-like precision and represent a pattern of electoral violence that threatens to unravel the foundation of Ghana’s democracy.
But it was the response from key figures within the Mahama administration that has sparked the most outrage. The Minority Women’s Caucus condemned in the strongest terms statements made by Dr. Hanna Louisa Bissiw, National Women’s Organiser of the NDC and Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Development Fund, who suggested that the violence in Ablekuma North was a justified retaliation, declaring that “violence begets violence.”
Even more troubling to the Caucus was a Facebook post by Malik Basintale, Acting CEO of the Youth Employment Agency and Deputy National Communications Officer of the NDC, who openly praised the man who assaulted Mrs. Hawa Koomson, calling him “the Flying Python” and joking that he had earned a position in a fictitious “5k Airforce.”
According to the Minority MPs, these statements go beyond political irresponsibility. They argued that the public celebration of violence by individuals who hold senior positions in government sends a dangerous message that such actions are condoned, even rewarded.
They insisted that by remaining silent, President Mahama risks signaling his approval of these attacks and allowing a culture of impunity to take root within state institutions.
The press conference also drew attention to the failure of the Ghana Police Service to prevent or respond effectively to the violence.
Allegations of complicity were levelled against Chief Superintendent Lumor Frederick Senanu, whose conduct, the Caucus said, must be investigated thoroughly to restore public confidence in the security apparatus.
The targeting of journalists, including the physical assault of a JoyNews reporter and an attack on GHOne TV’s Agyekum Banahene by a police officer, was described as a direct assault on press freedom and a disturbing sign of attempts to silence independent reportage.
The Minority Women’s Caucus reiterated their demand for the immediate dismissal of Dr. Bissiw and Mr. Basintale from their government positions.
They stated that their continued presence in office undermines the credibility of the Mahama administration and sets a precedent that political violence is acceptable.
The Caucus also called for the arrest and prosecution of all individuals involved in the violence, and demanded a public condemnation of the attacks by the President himself, accompanied by an apology to the victims, including Hon. Hawa Koomson and Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie.
In a direct challenge to the President, the Caucus warned that his response would define not only his leadership but Ghana’s democratic future. “President Mahama must decide whether he stands with those who defend democracy or with those who attack it,” Abena Korkor Asante declared. “The eyes of the nation – and the world – are watching,” she stated.
They called on all Ghanaians to reject violence, defend constitutional order, and recommit to the values that have sustained the country’s democratic journey since 1992.
By Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliament House