Report by Bernard K DADZIE
The Director of Communications of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Yaw Buaben Asamoa, has condemned the destruction of properties belonging to the party by some persons believed to be members of the NPP following the announcement of the list of the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs).
He explained that the nomination of persons for the position of MMDCEs is not a partisan political action for which a particular political party should be attacked by disappointed individuals.
The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has rebuked its party members who have resorted to violence to express their displeasure post on MMDCE’s voting. Reports from various constituencies show NPP supporters of various aspirants engaging in fights or vandalism in disagreement to election results.
He explained that nomination of persons for the position of MMDCEs is not a partisan political action for which a particular political party should be attacked by disappointed individuals.
The former lawmaker for Adenta addressing the media on Friday October 1, 2021 at party’s Headquarters in Accra, hinted that the damage to the properties is unfortunate and needless.“Why will anybody destroy the properties of the party when the exercise is nonpartisan as I have explained,” he added.
“You have the right to express your views or disappointment. You can write a letter to the president, you can demonstrate but don’t destroy or attack anybody. That will be in violation of the law,” he said.
Following the release of the list of the MMDCEs by Local Government Minister Dan Botwe on Sunday, September 19, some youth engaged in disturbances in parts of the country including Odododiodoo, Chereponi and others.
For him, the NPP would like to see its members and sympathisers, as well as the EU, move away from violence, as a tool of participation, and to adopt dialogue and interaction.
Mr. Asomoa says although people have genuine concerns over some nominees, assaulting people over the nominations is terrible and unfortunate. He indicated that it is extreme for party members to attack their leaders over the MMDCEs list. “We would certainly get the agitations, but people should be lawless and take the law into their own hands.”
He stressed that the party has structures from community level right up to national level, and at every polling station with officers to attend the needs of the people who would attack polling stations.
“Currently, we have five party officers at the police station, made up of a chairman, Secretary organiser women organiser youth organiser, We also have coordinators monitoring every 10 police stations on average.”
“These structures are supposed to mobilise local opinion and provide feedback to the consensus committee made up of seven team members, including the Member of Parliament for the party past what it is in this context that the party refuses to accept what happened in so many districts. During the confirmation process, violence is unacceptable, and must not become under any circumstances.”
He therefore encouraged all assembly members of all shades of opinion to come together and practically engage the nominees for MMDCE’s. “We find it unacceptable that anybody who believes in and identifies with our party will condone violence in the confirmation process, of course, we accept that a few persons who are nominees may be entirely rejected, but we cannot accept that every solution is a resort to violence,” he mentioned.
According to him, NPP is fully support on police to ensure swift action in incidents of more destruction of property and fiscal attack. In order to terminate violence as a method of resolution of public grievances, the MPP is ready to partner well-meaning citizens, to expand spaces for dialogue in a democracy that we are building.
