The international community applauded the orderly manner in which last Wednesday’s polls were conducted across the country. However, after the declaration of the results, reported cases of violent attacks and the destruction of government properties, tend to take the shine off that process.
The Chronicle understands that supporters of the outgoing National Democratic Congress (NDC) in some communities were beaten, slashed with cutlasses and even had their vehicles destroyed by jubilant supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Likewise, NDC supporters have reportedly attacked their political opponents for one reason or the other.
The reported incidents got to a peak when a member of the NDC was allegedly killed at Dunkwa in the Central Region, following a heated political argument with his friend, a member of the victorious NPP.
The two were reportedly caught in an argument in the evening of Friday after the defeat of the ruling NDC. The deceased, Ayoma, a head porter, was allegedly struck in the head several times with a club, in the heat of the verbal exchanges, with the suspect Atta, a herbal medicine seller.
On the 9th day of December, Abdulai Naaba, the brother of the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, was also reported to have inflicted cutlass wounds on about 10 innocent people in the Asutifi South Constituency for failing to vote massively for his brother.
The affected persons were said to be supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate, Cecelia Gyan Amoah.
One of the victims, Collins Osei Bonsu Christopher, whose hand was nearly chopped off, is current receiving treatment at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi.
In the specific case of Naabu, we at The Chronicle are worried because it was the failure of the police to effect his arrest when he earlier boasted on radio that he killed people every day, that almost cost the lives of those innocent Ghanaians.
Interestingly, as narrated by the NPP parliamentary candidate in the constituency, the police seem not to be interested in the investigation of the matter, possibly because a minister’s brother is involved.
To remind ourselves, violence resulting from forceful takeover of public toilets and toll booths is not new. When there was transfer of power from the NPP to the NDC in 2009, similar incidents happened.
This is why The Chronicle thinks it’s important that party supporters are given proper orientations henceforth. The NDC is complaining today because NPP members are forcing their members out of certain positions, forgetting what they did when the late Professor John Evans Atta Mills won the elections.
This should, however, not be misconstrued as an endorsement of the behaviour of the NPP. Instead, we think it is time the parties tell their members what their roles are, especially when they win elections.
It is also important they get the understanding that in elections, you either win or lose. Therefore, the world must not come to an end simply because they won or lost an election.
Meanwhile, President John Dramani Mahama and President-elect Nana Addo Danquah Akufo must be commended for speaking against the post-elections attacks.
Ghana, which has set the standard for peace and security across Africa, is the only place we have.
Therefore, The Chronicle thinks it is essential that we remain calm, protect our country and
project it positively before the international community.
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