A news conference by a youth group of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) at Mankranso in the Ahafo Ano District in the Ashanti Region turned violent when three members of the party allegedly attacked the youth group and the journalists covering the event.
The press conference was intended for the youth to express their position on the decision by the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the NDC that President John Dramani Mahama reinstate the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Ahafo Ano, Mr Gabriel Barimah.
Mr Barimah was dismissed in connection with the use of the word “Tweaa”, an Akan word used mainly to express contempt for a statement made.
The use of the word has gained currency since Mr Barimah flared up when a member of an audience he was addressing at Mankranso used it to express contempt for a statement the DCE had made.
The enraged DCE stormed out of the meeting after stating, among other things, that the person who had made the statement was not his “co-equal”.
In a statement issued in Accra, the NEC of the NDC appealed to President Mahama to reconsider his decision to revoke Mr Barimah’s appointment.
According to the party, the NEC had come to the “inescapable conclusion that the decision, if left to stand, will not only amount to serious injustice to the DCE but seek to dampen the enthusiasm of other DCEs in their attempt to deal with indiscipline and corruption in their various areas of jurisdiction”.
In the view of the party, if the President had had full and accurate briefing on the case, his decision on the matter would have been different.
However, members of the youth group at Mankranso disagreed with the position of the NEC and, therefore, organised a press conference last Monday to express a contrary opinion.
But just before the event got underway, three people allegedly attacked the organisers and the journalists invited to cover the event.
The police at Mankranso quickly intervened and arrested the three attackers.
They have been identified as Rauf Raman, 40, NDC Youth Organiser for Ahafo Ano South West, who is also the Assembly Member for Boatenkrom, near Kunsu; Alex Koyedor, 57, the Assembly Member for Beposo, near Mankranso, and Issifu Adams, 26, the NDC Branch Chairman at the Amakom Electoral Area.
Some of the journalists sustained injuries. Mr Padmore Kwame Ansong, a reporter with Hello FM, a sister station of Peace FM, who sustained multiple injuries, is on admission at the Mankranso Government Hospital.
