Politics of Wednesday, 4 October 2006

Source: GNA

Election violence under investigation at Drobo

Drobo (B/A), Oct. 4, GNA - The Police in Drobo in Jaman South District of Brong Ahafo, are investigating several cases of violence that happened during the district assembly elections in the area. Investigations by Ghana News Agency showed that supporters of both defeated and victorious aspirants engaged in acts of vandalism and hooliganism against election officials and residents in some communities.

Security personnel however, stepped up vigilance and saved the situations from degenerating into mayhem that could have disrupted the elections, which however recorded low turnout.

An aspirant, who lost in the Abirikasu-Konsia-Ampenkro Electoral Area, identified only as Mr Osman, a citizen of Konsia, alleged that the youth at Abirikasu subjected him and his eight polling agents to severe thrashing, forcing them to flee the polling station on the election day. The incident was promptly reported to Mr Apraku Tanor, the DCE, who immediately took steps to calm the situation.

Mr Stephen Yeboah, a Tema-based businessman and a loser at the Old Drobo-Wamsua-Ponkor-Dawiri Electoral Area in Jaman North District also alleged that, when his polling agent at Wamsua tried to prevent a multiple voter, he was set on by some unidentified youth and whipped, thereby rigging the election.

Another instance of lawlessness rocked the Jenjemireja-Abuokrom-Mireman Electoral Area in Jaman South District, when after the declaration of Mr Ansumana Amadu of Miremano as the winner, his jubilant supporters got on board a 207 Benz bus, motor bikes and bicycles and invaded Jenjemireja, whose candidate lost and sped through the main street, breaking through a district assembly revenue check point. This behaviour however resulted in counter violence by the youth at Jenjemireja and the police are investigating the case.