The Ashanti Regional branch of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has refuted the claim by the Police that there was no shooting incident during the ‘Enough is Enough’ demonstration on Tuesday, September 17.
The police had said that there was no shooting incident at the Kumasi office of the Electoral Commission and no demonstrator had been injured by the Police.
This comes after chaos erupted in Kumasi as police deployed teargas to disperse National Democratic Congress (NDC) supporters who were reported to have clashed with law enforcement officers.
The Police explained that some demonstrators who went against the agreed arrangement by forcing their way into the compound of the EC office were restrained
“We would like to take this opportunity to urge the media to be circumspect in their reportage,” the Police said in a statement..
But a statement issued by the Ashanti Regional Secretary of the NDC, Dr Dr Frank Amoakohene said “The NDC categorically refutes the claims made by the police that there was no shooting incident and no demonstrators were injured. The following are the facts of the incident: The NDC, in collaboration with the Ghana Police Service, agreed on a specific route for the demonstration, which we followed peacefully. However, the police later mounted a barricade at an entirely different location, far away from the EC office, in an isolated area that can only be described as a bush in the middle of nowhere. This deviation from the agreed arrangement was uncalled for and sparked confusion. In an attempt to ensure the police adhered to the original agreement, confusion ensued. During this period, police officers fired gunshots and launched tear gas canisters into the crowd. As a result, a police officer and one of our peaceful demonstrators fainted due to the chaos caused by the tear gas.
“Contrary to the police’s statement, several demonstrators were assaulted and injured by the police. One of our members sustained a severe head injury from police assault and some sustained other injuries on the leg which contradicts their claim that no demonstrator was harmed. The NDC is a peace-loving party and did not seek to cause any confrontations. We only demanded that the police adhere strictly to the agreement reached regarding the demonstration route. The demonstration proceeded peacefully after this incident, leading to a successful conclusion.
“We wish a speedy recovery to both the police officer and our member who fainted due to the tear gas, as well as to our member who sustained head injuries during the scuffle. The NDC stands firmly with our injured members and will support them throughout their recovery process. We extend our heartfelt thanks to the good people of the Ashanti Region, the media, civil society organizations, and the other political parties who supported and participated in yesterday’s demonstration. Your commitment to the cause for justice and democracy will always be remembered. Attached to this release are photos and video footage clearly showing the injuries sustained by our members during the shooting and altercation. We urge the Ghana Police Service to remain independent and not be influenced by the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in issuing inaccurate or misleading statements. The NDC stands by the truth, and we hope the Ghana Police Service will maintain its integrity and professionalism in serving all Ghanaians equally, without political manipulation.
