NDC accuses NPP of organizing violence at Atiwa

Koforidua, Sept. 2, GNA - The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has accused the leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) of being behind the violence that occurred during the Atiwa constituency bye-election and then going on air to misinform the nation.

The party questioned why it was only vehicles of the NDC and senior members of the party that were attacked during the violence at the bye-elections.

Addressing a press conference in Koforidua on Wednesday, the Eastern Regional Secretary of the NDC, Mr Anthony Gyampoh, said he was personally present at the outskirt of Apan Ampetia when the General Secretary of the NPP, Mr Owusu Afriyie, urged the youth of the area to use whatever means at their disposal to prevent people who are not from the area from entering the community during the election.

He said it was on record that the National Organizer of the NPP, Alhaji Moctar Bamba, had stated that he was bringing down the "Bamba Boys", a group he had formed for violent behaviour, to the Atiwa bye-election.

Mr Gyampo said Alhaji Bamba was also on record to have said at an NPP rally at Kwabeng that the youth in the constituency should attack any stranger they might spot in the town.

He said it was therefore not surprising to the NDC that the NPP activists in the constituency mounted road blocks in towns like Abomosu, Apan Ampetia, Bomaa and Banso, harassed and assaulted all persons using those roads.

Mr Gyampoh said it was at one of such road blocks at Abomosu that the NPP activists attempted to attack the National Women's Organizer of the party, Ms Anita De-Souza and who, out of fear for her life, drove through them and in the process three persons got injured.

He said the group succeeded in destroying the vehicle of Ms De-Souza and did not stop there but also attacked the Birim North District Chief Executive, Mr Napoleon Asiamah, who was with two other media personnel.

Mr Gyampoh said the DCE and the two media personnel, Mr Edward Gawuga, of Radio Gold and Mr Takyi Boateng of Daily Graphic, were assaulted and the vehicles they were using destroyed.

He said even when they managed to escape and were being given shelter in a house the NPP thugs managed to go there and attacked them and they had to scale the wall and run through the bush to safety.

Mr Gyampoh said as at the time he was speaking at the press conference, no death had been reported at the Atiwa constituency.

He said the NDC leadership had checked with the police and at all health centres in the constituency and met with the leadership of the NPP where nobody confirmed the death of anybody

Mr Gyampoh said in spite of all those atrocities committed by NPP thugs their leadership rather went on air talking about dead bodies at Atiwa when nothing of such nature had occurred.

He appealed to the police to investigate the issues that the NDC had raised in connection with the Atiwa bye-election and bring all those behind the mounting of road blocks and the attack on innocent people to book.

The Deputy Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Mohammed Ahmed Baba-Jamal, who was present at the press conference, said at the time it was being reported on some FM stations that his vehicle had run over and killed some people at Abomosu, he was at Jejeti with the Minority leader in Parliament, Mr Kyei Mensah Bonsu.

He said he was no where near Abomosu and appealed to the media to always try to cross check their facts and refrain from publishing one sided stories.