The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has issued a detailed response, vehemently refuting allegations of arrest of Honorable Collins Dauda, Member of Parliament for Asutifi South by the Ghana Police Service.
The opposition party in a statement issued by its National Communications Officer, Sammy Gyamfi Esq. denounced allegations of wrongdoing against Honorable Collins Dauda and further condemned what it calls “unprofessional haste” in judgement by the law enforcement body.
The statement recounted that the perceived arrest stems from an incident at a Voter Registration Center in Kukuom, Asunafo South constituency, where chaos erupted during the ongoing voter registration exercise.
According to the National Democratic Congress’s account, on Saturday, May 11th, a group of approximately 40 individuals allegedly affiliated with the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) besieged the registration center, clad in face masks and military-style attire.
The statement further noted that the group were allegedly led by a figure known only as “Anointing” who launched a violent assault on the center, targeting perceived first-time voters of the National Democratic Congress who were waiting in line to register.
The National Communications Officer of the opposition party in his statement emphasized a detail a scene of mayhem, with thugs believed to be affiliated to the ruling New Patriotic Party intimidating both registration officials and observers, and forcibly dispersing supporters of the opposition party.
According Lawyer Sammy Gyamfi, the situation escalated throughout the day, despite the intervention of local law enforcement, leading to several members of the opposition National Democratic Congress, including Daniel Arthur, an Assembly Member, and the party’s Coordinator for Asarekrom Electoral Area, both subjected to brutal violence by the alleged thugs affiliated to the ruling party.
Furthermore, Lawyer Sammy Gyamfi recounted that amidst the chaos, additional supporters of the opposition party rushed to the scene to offer assistance, prompting some of the ruling party’s alleged thugs to flee, however, the situation took a perilous turn when one of the assailants blocked a road and opened fire on departing supporters of the National Democratic Congress.
Mr Gyamfi also indicated that the supporters of the opposition National Democratic Congress in an act of self-defense, responded to the attack, leading to the closure of the unfortunate development with no casualties recorded.
Lawyer Sammy Gyamfi, the National Communications Officer of the opposition party thus refuted the perceived claims that Honorable Collins Dauda was present at the scene, asserting that he was actively monitoring the registration exercise in his own constituency, Asutifi South at the time of the incident.
His statement emphasized that the police’s assertion of Honorable Collins Dauda’s involvement in the said violence at one of the polling stations in the Asunafo South Constituency is untrue and born out of malice.
“This fact was corroborated by the Police in their investigative report read to Hon. Collins Dauda, MP for Asutifi South, in the presence of Hon. Eric Opoku, MP for Asunafo South, at a meeting on the morning of Sunday, 12th May, 2024.
“The NDC condemns in no uncertain terms the unprofessional haste of the Ghana Police Service to publish the so-called arrest of the Member of Parliament for Asutifi South, and create the impression all over the media as though he has committed a crime. For emphasis, Hon. Collins Dauda has committed no crime. The allegation by the Police that he was involved in some disturbances at the ongoing voter registration in Kukuom is palpably false and must be treated with the contempt it deserves ”.
Sammy Gyamfi Esq. NDC’s National Communications Officer
Police Urged to Maintain Professionalism
Moreover, the National Democratic Congress expressed deep concern over what it considers as a pattern of violence targeting its supporters across the country, citing recent incidents in Adugyama, Ashanti region, as evidence.
The party’s National Communications Officer, Lawyer Sammy Gyamfi accused the Ghana Police Service of failing to adequately protect its members and supporters, thereby calling for impartiality and professionalism in maintaining law and order during the ongoing registration exercise.
The National Communications Officer of the opposition National Democratic Congress concluded the statement by reaffirming the party’s commitment to peace and adherence to the rule of law, while also asserting the right of its supporters to defend themselves against violence.
Mr Gyamfi also urged the Ghana Police Service to uphold its responsibility to protect all stakeholders in the ongoing voter registration exercise, underscoring the party’s disappointment in a pattern, where the Police choose to watch on and take little action against perceived thugs who unleash unprovoked violence on NDC supporters in broad daylight.
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