The Ghana Police service has debunked claims that lives have been lost in the shooting incident recorded earlier today, Thursday, at the La Bawaleshie voting center during the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election.
According to the police, six persons were injured during the shooting incident, and have been sent to the 37 military and Legon hospitals for treatment.
In a statement, the Police service also disclosed that the Inspector-General has directed the Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department to speed up investigations into the incident.
According to the Police Service, calm has been restored to the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency.
“The attention of the police administration has been drawn to a shooting incident at Bawaleshie, Accra this morning, in the course of the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency by-election, leading to the injury of six persons. As of now, there is no record of death resulting from the shooting incident.”
“Calm has been restored to the area, and the six injured persons are responding to treatment at the Legon and 37 military hospitals. Further, the Inspector-General of Police has directed the Director-General/Criminal Investigations department to speed up investigations into the incident”.
The Police Service also called on residents and voters in and around the constituency to remain calm and go about their duties freely without fear, as more police officers have been deployed in the area to forestall any other violence.
Ayawaso by-election: Gunshots fired at La Bawaleshie Presby polling station
Some persons were arrested by police following the shooting incident at a polling centre at La Bawaleshie.
Citi News’ Eugenia Tenkorang who was at the polling station reported that the area was chaotic with people throwing stones as gunshots were fired.
Some men in black, with their faces covered and dressed in an intimidating manner, were also sighted on the scene.
She spoke to a man whose hands were covered in blood who claimed two persons had been shot.
He said one person had been shot in the arm, and the other in the leg. Eugenia Tenkorang also said she saw a man who appeared to be injured being carried by another person.
Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election: NDC withdraws candidate from the race
The National Democratic Congress (NDC), has withdrawn from the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election following the shooting incident.
The party has also withdrawn its polling agents and observers from the area after consulting with its parliamentary candidate.
Some National Security Operatives are alleged to have fired gunshots at a polling centre at La Bawaleshie, injuring about six persons believed to be NDC supporters.
“In the circumstances, I have conferred with the parliamentary candidate and the leadership of the NDC. We have no option than to withdraw from the ongoing exercise,” the National Chairman of the NDC, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, said to the press.
Mr. Ofosu Ampofo said the party’s candidate, Delali Brempong, was being “held hostage” in the area.
He also said there was “serious intimidation” from national security operatives.
NDC orchestrated Ayawaso West Wuogon violence – NPP
The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), believes that the violence that took place in some voting centres within the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency, was orchestrated by the opposition National Democratic Congress, NDC, to discredit the election.
Addressing the media later on Wednesday, the NPP’s Director of Communications, Yaw Buabeng Asamoah, said: “this is a hugely orchestrated attempt by the NDC because they knew from the beginning that they were going to lose.”
Mr. Asamoah, who doubles as the MP for Adentan said their conviction is further strengthened by the fact that the Member of Parliament for Ningo Prapram, Sam George, who claimed he was shot, sustained no gunshot wounds, but is still alive and kicking.
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By: Jude Mensa Duncan | Citinewsroom.com | Duncanmensa@gmail.com