The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has condemned the violence and shooting incident that took place during the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency by-election on Thursday, January 31, 2019.
In a statement signed by its Resident Representative to Ghana, Gita Welch, UNDP indicated that “we strongly condemn such impunity and brazen acts of violence which undermine Ghana’s hard-earned democracy and peace.”
According to the statement, “Ghana as a pillar of stability in the sub-region must not become complacent. We call on all to avoid violence and the use of inflammatory language that could further increase tensions.”
The UNDP added that the “by-election in the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency in the Greater Accra Region with keen interest, as this is a further illustration of the democratic process that is imbedded in Ghana.”
It said, “However, our attention has been drawn to media reports of violence and a shooting incidenceby unidentified armed men at the La Bawalashie Presby JHS polling station during the by-election, leading to the injury of at least six people.”
The by-election which became necessary following the death of New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Ayawaso West Wuogon on November 21, 2018 in the United States, was won by Lydia Seyram Alhassan, wife of the late MP who campaigned on the ticket of the ruling NPP.
She polled 12,000 votes to beat her closet contender, Delali Brempong of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The police administration, in a statement signed by its Director of Public Affairs, Sheilla Kessie Abayie-Buckman, said the shooting incidence at Bawaleshie led to the injury of six persons, dismissing earlier report by NDC Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Samuel George Nartey, that an NDC member had been shot dead.
“As of now, there is no record of death resulting from that shooting incident,” according to the police.
BY Melvin Tarlue