NDC CALLS FOR ARREST OF NPP ACTIVISTS (PAGE 13, SEPT 3, 2010)

THE National Democratic Congress (NDC) has called for the arrest of a group of young persons believed to be New Patriotic Party (NPP) activists who are alledged to have assaulted some NDC officials during the Atiwa by-elections at Abomosu.
Speaking at a press conference in Koforidua on Wednesday, the Eastern Regional Secretary of the NDC, Mr Anthony Gyampo, blamed Alhaji Moctar Bamba, the National Organiser of the NPP, for the attack with thugs he referred to as the Bamba Boys.
According to him, a few days to the election, Alhaji Moctar Bamba openly stated at an NPP rally at Kwabeng that he would unleash the Bamba Boys on any stranger in Atiwa during the election and did exactly that by attacking Mr Napoleon Asiamah, the DCE for Birim North, and Madam Anita De Sooso, the NDC National Women Organiser.
He said it was unfortunate that the NPP openly lied to the people that it was the NDC which engaged itself in violence during the election, adding that some of the acts of violence were instigated by NPP’s Regional Secretary, Prince Aboagye, who he said was arrested at Anyinam.
Mr Gyampo therefore wondered why the press rather attributed the disturbances to the Azorka Boys who he said had nothing to do with the violence.
He therefore called for full investigations into the matter for the culprits to face the full rigours of the law to deter others intending to cause mayhem during elections.
Mr Gyampo expressed NDC’s gratitude to the police and other security agencies who worked hard to ensure a free and fair by-election.
The Deputy Eastern Regional Minister, Baba Jamal Muhamed Ahmed, said it was strange that he was mentioned on some of the radio stations to have personally been involved in violence at certain polling centres at a time when he was at different places and appealed to the media to be circumspect in their reportage.
“My friends in the media, especially those of you in the radio stations, let us report the truth, nothing but the truth, to nurture our fledging democracy”, he stated.
During question time, some of the media practitioners advised their colleagues, especially those with the private radio stations, to be sure of what they fed the public to prevent anarchy.