Ursula Owusu has no business in Odododiodio-Kobby Acheampong

Kobby Acheampong, Deputy Interior Minister

The Deputy Interior Minister says the New Patriotic Party (NPP) aspiring candidate for Ablekuma South Ursula Owusu is to blame for the assault she suffered during the biometric registration exercise in the Odododiodio constituency last week.

Kobby Acheampong said the NPP aspirant had no business being in the constituency at the time and only suffered the assault because she was at the wrong place at the wrong time.

Ursula Owusu was assaulted by thugs suspected to be linked to the National Democratic Congress, but the NDC parliamentary aspirant Nii Lantey Vanderpuye has vehemently denied orchestrating the attack.

She had in the company of some NPP officials gone to the Odododiodio constituency to encourage supporters of the NPP to register in order to vote in the upcoming December elections when she was attacked.

Police have confirmed the assault on the NPP candidate and have begun investigations into the incident.

But the deputy Interior Minister Kobby Acheampong who superintends the activities of the police and other security services in the absence of the substantive minister said on Joy FM and MultiTV news analysis programme Newsfile, Saturday Ursula must partly be blamed for the incident.

He said as a candidate for Ablekuma South, Ursula Owusu has no business coming to the Odododiodio constituency to educate prospective voters.

Kobby Acheampong described Owusu's action as an insult to the constituents in Odododiodio.

He also criticized the Commander for the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) ACP Angwubutoge Awuni and Superintendent Kwesi Ofori the District Police Commander for Tafo Pankrono in the Ashanti Region.

Awuni was involved in verbal exchanges with former Greater Accra Minister, Nii Amarh Ashitey, in fall outs of the biometric registration exercise- a conduct he [Awuni] has apologized for.

Superintendent Kwesi Ofori also issued a 2,000 cedis bounty for the arrest of a thug said to be disrupting the registration process in his District.

Whilst rebuking Kwesi Ofori for issuing the bounty without the approval of the Regional Commander, Acheampong also criticized Awuni for being notorious in hurling insults at public officers.

According to him, Awuni had described as unnecessary showmanship, an ingenious attempt by the Accra Mayor to direct traffic at some point.

He was convinced the MTTU boss had insulted the Accra Mayor and advised that he Awuni went to the Mayor's office to apologise but has thus far remained indifferent.

But the editor in chief of the New Crusading Guide Kweku Baako who was also on the show said the action by the police, especially in the case of Tafo Pankrono was indiscreet.

He believed the action by the police administration could neutralize the police personnel on the field and render them ineffective.

Whilst congratulating Awuni for being honest in his admission of insult and duly apologizing, he is convinced Awuni is not in the 'good books' of certain individuals within the NDC.

He said the call by the Greater Accra Region branch of the NDC for Awuni to be transferred from Accra, as well as the call by the NPP for the IGP to resign were unhealthy for good government and effective policing in the country.

On the attack on Ursula Owusu, the Crusading Guide editor was surprised at the comments by the Deputy Interior Minister.

He said the constitution guaranteed Ursula Owusu the rights to move anywhere she pleased around the country during the registration exercise but must seek the appropriate permission to enter a registration centre before doing so.

He insisted Owusu was granted the permission by the Electoral Officers before entering the registration centres during her visit.

He said the attacks were needless and condemnable, adding there are several examples of parliamentary aspirants supporting colleague aspirants in other constituencies during electioneering campaigns.