Mavis Hawa Koomson
Minister-designate for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mavis Hawa Koomson, issued an apology yesterday for firing a weapon close to a polling centre during the 2020 Voters Registration Exercise.
The Awutu Senya East Member of Parliament (MP) admitted firing a gun during a scuffle between herself and a member of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Phyllis Naa Koryoo Okunor, on July 20, 2020, but said she deeply regretted her action and wished the incident never happened.
Taking her turn at the public vetting of the Appointments Committee of Parliament, Mrs. Koomson said she gave the warning shots in “self-defence” since she felt her life was in danger.
“It was an unfortunate incident, Mr. Chairman, which I wished never happened on that day; and I also pray that it does not happen again in the history of our politics. I want to seize this opportunity to apologize to the people who were so scared on that day. It was in defence of myself (sic) because I felt my life was in danger in the circumstance,” the nominee stressed.
She explained further that “that day I thought I needed to save my life by defending myself there. Mr. Chairman I also want to plead with this committee that the issue is before the police for investigation. I wouldn’t want to say much about it.”
When asked whether the state provided her a bodyguard as then Minister for Special Development Initiative, Mrs. Koomson answered in the affirmative, but indicated that her bodyguard was not with her at the time of the incident.
“That day the bodyguard was not with me because it was as early as 6:00 am. He had then not reported for duty. It was the circumstances that I found myself in that led to the incident. I really regret that day which I wish never happens in the life of our political activities again,” she posited.
Mrs. Koomson noted that the shooting incident happened 150 metres away from the polling centre, while dismissing claims that she fired the gunshots at a polling station in the Awutu Senya East.
“Mr. Chairman, it happened outside the polling centre, about 150 metres away and I still say I regret that,” she stated when pushed further by the Ranking Member of the Committee, Haruna Iddrisu.
By Ernest Kofi Adu