Scenes from the riot
Supporters of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) who were undertaking separate health walks on Sunday, clashed at Koforidua-Asokore in the New Juaben municipality of the Eastern Region, leading to five people sustaining various degrees of injury.
The fracas reportedly happened when the NDC supporters, together with their leader, Apaw Wiredu Haruna, embarked on the exercise from the Effiduase Prison Park to Oyoko.
According to eyewitness’s accounts, the NDC activists, upon reaching Oyoko, met the NPP supporters on a peace walk from Oyoko and heading back to Asokore, led by the New Juabeng North Member of Parliament (MP), Nana Adjei Boateng.
The NDC supporters, according to reports, started hooting at their opponents and threw stones at them when both parties met at the Oyoko roundabout. The NPP activists were said to have been incensed by the action of the NDC guys and the two groupings began trading blows.
The angry supporters of both political parties allegedly smashed vehicle windscreens, which promoted the police guard them to call for reinforcement; and they fired gunshots to separate the feuding supporters.
The injured were rushed to the St. Joseph’s Hospital for treatment.
The New Juaben Municipal Police Commander, Supt. Richardson Kumekor, who later came to the scene, ordered the leaders of the groups to ask their members to stop the walk and go home immediately.
The New Juaben municipality, along with five other constituencies in the region namely, Nkawkaw, Akwatia, Suhum, New Juaben South and Akwapim South, are among the identified flashpoints ahead of the December 7 elections.
FROM Daniel Bampoe, Koforidua