Hawa Koomson
Although the Awutu Senya East Constituency registration centre shooting incident did not draw blood, it attracted worrying public attention.
Each time there is firing of firearm, especially by a civilian, questions are posed. For those who pose such questions, such queries arise from whether or not the originator of the trigger pulling did so justifiably or simply flexing muscles.
Ms. Hawa Koomson spoke on radio and sought to explain that her action was informed by the danger she found herself in when she visited the registration centre.
Her National Democratic Congress (NDC) counterpart put a lie to the claim of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) candidate. Obviously, one of them is not speaking the truth.
Of course, some persons were bused to the location with the alleged intention of disrupting the registration exercise, another issue the police should probe.
It is such misunderstanding which when shrouded in claims and counter claims eventually grow into flare-ups.
In matters of security, the importance of truth and application of the law should not be compromised no matter whose ox is gored.
The Kasoa Police Command is in a better position to investigate the issue with a view to stamping out the tension which is said to have built up in the constituency in recent times.
The no-love-lost relationship existing between the two female candidates from the NDC and NPP is a potential incendiary which is waiting to be exploited by hoodlums.
For us, therefore, ignoring the probing of the matter cannot be an acceptable option.
Both politicians should be investigated by the police so that whoever is responsible for the lawlessness which occurred would be brought before the law. Impunity and sheer impudence should not be countenanced in such circumstances.
Snippets of avoidable trouble such as this are pointers to the fact that the vigilante law can easily be compromised by bad politicians.
Was Hawa Koomson justified in firing the weapon which we do not have doubt is a registered firearm?
Was her life in danger at the time of firing the warning shots? Answers to these questions, among others, would make the picture clearer and put the security agents in a better position to deal with the issue.
If registration of voters can be exploited by some persons to the extent of weapons being fired and Electoral Commission officials stopped from continuing their work, actual voting could assume a more dangerous pitch.
The EC, in its reaction to the pockets of violence, has reminded those responsible that they would be breaching the law by such actions.
The police should process whoever is arrested in respect of such breaches so that the necessary deterrence would be displayed for all to see and accordingly advised.