The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has urged the Ghana Police Service to act swiftly to arrest and prosecute individuals who allegedly attacked Asiedu Nketia, Bernard Bediako, and other NDC executives.
On Friday, August 29, the solemn observance of the late Ernest Kumi almost turned violent when Johnson Asiedu Nketiah and his entourage entered the Wenchi Durbar grounds.
Some angry women and some NPP supporters attempted to physically assault the NDC chairman and his entourage.
In a statement signed by Godwin Ako Gunn, the deputy Communication Officer of the NDC, the party issued an ultimatum to the Ghana Police to take action by Monday, September 1, 2025.
According to the NDC, failure of the police to apprehend the suspect will force them to take action themselves to apprehend the perpetrators.
The NDC added that the attackers, numbering about 20, were visibly captured in circulating videos, stopping their candidate from entering the funeral grounds.
The chaotic incident left the widow of the late Ernest Kumi in tears after witnessing what the NDC described as “a distasteful act”,
The NDC statement read, “The police cannot be seen to act swiftly against the NDC in some cases, only to drag their feet when it involves the NPP.
We demand swift action, else we may have incidents to deal with on or before the day of the election.”
The NDC further warned, “Anything less than this will see us helping them in their duties on Monday and Tuesday”.
In related news on the Akwatia by-election, the Director General of Operations, COP Vance Baba Gariba, has revealed the military will be on standby during the upcoming by-election.
COP Vance Baba Gariba detailed that the military will only be deployed if the condition makes it necessary.
Speaking to the media, COP Vance Baba Gariba stated, “The military will be only on standby. As and when we need them, then we will deploy them, but if we don’t need the military, then we will not request for the deployment of the military. They are only going to be on standby”.
He further appealed to the people of Akwatia to come out in their numbers to vote, as they will be protected throughout the process.
“I want to reassure all the good people of Akwatia that they should come out in their numbers and exercise their franchise. The GPS will continue to reassure of their safety and security during this period”, COP Vance Baba Gariba added.
Also, Richard Kumadoe, a security consultant, has said the Ghana Police alone cannot guarantee peace in the upcoming Akwatia by-election.
Speaking on CITI Eyewitness News on Friday, August 29, Mr Kumadoe detailed, “The police, just like the military, have gone to do what we call reccy, and I believe they have gone to do security mapping. It is also the reason why the IGP met with the political parties to address their concerns. He mentioned that he is going into Akwatia with 5,000 men. Even if every polling station has 30 personnel, he will still have some men at his disposal”.
“For the election to be successful, there are three people who must act correctly. The Electoral Commission must discharge its statutory duty. If we get to Akwatia and the machines don’t come or they come and are not working, that is not the job of the police. If there is voter displacement or discrepancies during collation, it is not the fault of the police,” he stressed.
He warned that the lapses in EC logistics could trigger tension, adding, “For the election to be successful, there are three people who must act correctly. The Electoral Commission must discharge its statutory duty.
If we get to Akwatia and the machines don’t come or they come and are not working, that is not the job of the police. If there is voter displacement or discrepancies during collation, it is not the fault of the police,” he warned.
Mr Kumadoe further observed, “It has always been the case that the politician, who is the third person in the bracket, will not do their work, bastardise the whole process, create all manner of problems, and then blame everybody”.
He concluded by praising the police for demonstrating preparedness. “The police and the IGP have shown readiness to deal with anybody who wants to flout our laws. It is a shared responsibility”.