Street
political processions and rallies banned in Berekum
Sunyani (B/A) Sept. 27, Ghanadot/GNA – The
Brong-Ahafo Regional Security Council has with
immediate effect, banned street processions
associated with political rallies in the Berekum
Municipality.
The decision of the Council follows the violent
clashes between supporters of the New Patriotic
Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC)
in the municipality last Sunday.
A statement signed by Mr. Francis Opoku Boateng,
Regional Coordinating Director, said the council
took the decision at a meeting after the violent
clashes.
It said the meeting discussed and took measures to
stop such acts in the run-up to the presidential and
parliamentary elections in December this year.
The Council asked security committees to inform
political party executives in the municipality about
the decision and asked security agencies to strictly
enforce the ban.
In a related development, a statement signed by Mr.
Lord Oppong Stephen, NDC parliamentary candidate for
Berekum has expressed regret for the clash and
pledged that “we in the NDC wish that it never
happens again”.
The statement described as a complete lie claims by
Mr. Kwesi Adu Gyan, the Brong-Ahafo Regional
Chairman of the NPP that the NDC was responsible for
the clashes.
The statement said the false accusations levelled by
the NPP on the NDC on the orchestration of the clash
and the rush by the NPP to air their concerns were
“nothing but a calculated plan to quickly cover up
the ‘shit bombing’ or smearing of faeces carried out
at the party’s office on September 14 this year.”
“What happened at the roundabout on Sunday was a
clear case of NPP supporters and their executives
including the Municipal Chief Executive, Mr. Kwabena
Kyere Yeboah and a host of others ambushing and
mobbing the peace loving NDC supporters who were
returning to Berekum and surrounding communities
after a football match at Senase, about two
kilometres away from Berekum”, the statement said.
The statement described as false the claims that the
NDC did not obtain a permit from the police before
organising the match.
The statement appealed to the “teeming supporters of
the NDC especially the youth to remain calm and
resolute and rally behind the party amidst extreme
provocation and intimidation knowing that God is
definitely on our side so we cannot fail”.
It appealed to the NDC supporters and sympathisers
both at home and abroad to unite as well as
contribute both in kind and cash to support the
party.
GNA
