...'bring your supporters to order, else..
Posted: The Chronicle Friday, February 5, 2009
By Charles Takyi-Boadu
The leadership of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has sent a strong word of advice to the leadership of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), and President John Evans Atta Mills, to bring their supporters to order, since their actions could plunge the nation into chaos.
The advice came in the wake of a series of attacks on some members, and supporters of the NPP, at the Kokomba Market in Accra.
The party, led by its General Secretary, Nana Ohene Ntow, visited some supporters at the Kokomba Market, where their kiosks in which they live, have been razed down by alleged supporters and activists of the ruling party.
The leadership of the party, including the National Organiser, Lord Commey, National Youth Organiser, John Boadu, Sammy Crabbe, and the party's parliamentary candidate in the Odododiodioo constituency, Adjei Sowah were astonished by the accounts of some of the victims.
"Let me say this, that if people get pushed to the wall, they will bounce back," he emphasised, stressing, "when Gushegu and Tamale happened, people were quick to point fingers at the NPP, they forgot that since 1996 there have been consistent attacks on NPP supporters in certain parts of the Northern Region." Nana Ohene Ntow told reporters.
In the case of Gushegu and Tamale, he noted that when NPP supporters hit back to defend themselves, it turned out to be a big case.
He, therefore, expressed the wish that the turn of events does not get to the extent where people would be pushed to defend themselves, saying, "But of course, if the law enforcement agencies don't provide adequate protection for everybody, people may be forced to defend themselves, I don't think that may be good for communal safety, peace and security.
"I'm very disappointed by the fact that just because a party has come into office, supporters of the opposing party ought to be hounded of their living area, and out of their livelihoods," he noted.
"I think that it is totally unfortunate, I just want to remind the government and the President on the statement he made on the day he was sworn in, that he will be President for every Ghanaian, that with the NDC in power, no Ghanaian ought to live in fear."
Ohene Ntow could not fathom how politics could eat into people's minds, for them to be meting such untold and inhuman treatment on their fellow countrymen, stressing, "now these supporters of the NPP are saying that they want to be evacuated from the place some of them have lived for 40 years, just because they are being hounded by NDC supporters and activists."
Some of the victims, including 32 year old Yakubu Andani, whose wife and one-week old child have been kidnapped by supposed supporters of the NDC, gave chilling accounts of the fate they have suffered, since the NDC government assumed the reigns of power.
He told the group how his wife and one-week old child were kidnapped by thirty people, ten of whom he said, could easily be identified in any identification parade.
According to him, his wife and child were kidnapped between the hours of 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 3, this year, after the firing of several gunshots.
In the heat of events, he noted, since he realised he was a point of target, he fled only to return later, to be told that his wife and one-week old baby had been whisked away by the assailants.
Several others, including Mohammed Suhununu, gave similar accounts of harassment, and narrated how their rooms and belongings, including TV sets, stereos and monies, were stolen.
These assailants, some of whom are said to be still living in the area, have also emptied the animal pens of others.
Some of the victims accused top NDC leaders, including two Members of Parliament, of actively supporting and financing this violence.
However, the NPP General Secretary said they would get to the bottom of the issue.
This, according to him, was not only disturbing, but indeed criminal, if it was found to be true.
They have therefore promised to take up the matter to its logical conclusion, since they cannot sit in laxity for their supporters to be intimidated and cowed by fears.
He assured the party's supporters that the NPP leadership was solidly behind them, since, according to him, "they have every right to live everywhere they are living, in Agbogbloshie or any part of the country.
"It cannot be that because you support one political party, you cannot live in certain part of Accra, or you cannot live in a certain part of Ghana," he emphasised.
The leadership of the NPP has thus called on the ruling government and the authorities concerned, to protect all citizens, including supporters of the NPP, in Agbogbloshie and other parts of the country.
The leadership of the party later visited one of such people, Alhassan Hussein, Youth Organiser of the Action National Youth Association, who suffered a tortuous ordeal at the hands of some of these alleged NDC supporters at Korle-Gonno.
Hussein could barely speak or open his left eye, while his right eye had been plastered heavily, after being stoned and beaten that fateful day.