It would be recalled that in June 2022, some irate youth of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Chiana-Paga constituency of Upper East Region allegedly attacked the constituency chairman, James Kojo Kopanamo.
The incident is said to have occurred at the constituency office in Paga in the Kassena-Nankana West District while the party was having its branch reorganization exercise.
Mr. Kopanamo when contacted said there were petitions against some party members in the constituency.
He said the attack on him took place while the Upper East Regional Vice Chairman of NDC, Abubakari Salifu Atongo was at the party’s office in the constituency for first-hand information on the petition.
The party’s constituency communication wing did not take kindly, the attack on their chairman. In a statement signed by the Constituency Communication Officer, Abankwe Ebenezer Kabah, the party condemned the attack, insisting that the NDC party is a law-abiding one.
“It has come to the attention of the Communication office, NDC, Chiana-Paga, the dastardly attack on the constituency Chairman Hon. James Kojo Kapanamo on the 29th July 2022 during a petition hearing session headed by the Regional Vice Chairman at the party’s office.
This strange but heinous crime perpetuated on our enviable, dedicated, committed and above all law-abiding Chairman must be condemned wholeheartedly. It is worthy to state that, NDC is a peaceful, democratic and law-abiding party anchored on the rule of law, therefore it was strange to see this uncouth and unethical behaviour [from people] who claim to be party members to unleash violence on no other person than the party’s Chairman under the guise that they have not been given a fair hearing by a vetting/petition committee whose verdict is not known yet.”
It however appears that all the issues that resulted in the attack on the chairman have been resolved. This came to light when the Regional Secretary of the NDC, Donatus Akamguri spoke on A1 Radio’s Day Break Upper East Show.
“That petition has been dealt with,” he said.
The Regional Secretary continued to say, “that incident that occurred in Chiana-Paga; the misunderstanding between the constituency chairman and the affected boys. They filed at Tedam Lower Primary School block to contest and some people petitioned against them. The party has regulations. If you were not a registered member of the party in 2018 and you registered in 2022, you cannot contest an election.”
“Equally, if you are not a registered member by the EC in that particular polling station, you cannot contest an election.”
The Regional Executive Council recommended that petitions at the branch level be processed at the constituency level. Affected individuals attacked the party’s constituency chairman as the petitions submitted by certain party members were being processed.
According to the Regional Secretary, “they [youth who attacked the chairman] thought the process was being delayed, and there was the misunderstanding, but that has been settled.”
Source: A1radioonline.com|101.1MHz|Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith|Ghana
