Enthusiastic Supporters Greet Akufo Addo, Bawumia in Tamale

Enthusiastic supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) took over the streets and the Jubilee Park in Tamale to welcome Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his running mate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.

The team visited the metropolis at the weekend to take part in a National Muslim prayer service to round off their two-day tour of the Northern Region.

The service was to seek Allah’s blessings and guidance in the upcoming general elections and the general peace and stability of the nation.

Security personnel detailed to maintain law and order at the Jubilee Park had a hectic time controlling the teeming supporters who were clad in NPP paraphernalia.

The political climate in the metropolis was charged, with deafening noise emanating from vehicles and motorbikes as they tooted their horns. The periphery of the Jubilee Park was filled with vendors of NPP party paraphernalia.

When the presidential team entered the Jubilee Park itself, the supporters rushed to catch a glimpse of Nana Akufo-Addo and Dr

Bawumia and to shake hands with them but they were stopped by the security although some of them eventually succeeded. Others took several pictures of the team, especially when they mounted a stage and sat on two chairs clad with white cloth for the occasion.

During the prayer session, the Assistant Regional Chief Imam, Sheikh Alhaji Baba Dua, recited the Holy Quran and a team of Muslim religious leaders prayed for the NPP leadership and the nation as a whole for peaceful elections.

In spite of the enthusiasm displayed in welcoming the pteam, some of the supporters had mixed feelings following the death of two persons, one of whom was said to be an NPP supporter.

The deceased, Alhaji Shamuna, 35, alias “Senyase” and Madam Zulaiha Abubakari, 32, were riding on a motorbike with registration number M-12-NR 329 at the Zogbeli-Aboabu intersection when they were crashed to death by a Mercedes Benz petrol tanker.

The Northern Regional Commander of the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Ghana Police Service, Superintendent Godwin Blewushie, who confirmed the story, told the Daily Graphic the deceased had since been buried according to Muslim tradition.

He explained that the accident occurred at about 9:40 p.m. on Friday night.

The Commander intimated that the Benz tanker with registration number AS 858 11 was coming from the Nyohini direction towards Aboabu but on reaching the intersection, a rider on a Savvy Motor who is yet to be identified allegedly crossed the tanker and in a bid to avoid hitting the motor rider, the tanker driver lost control of the steering wheel and veered into the opposite lane, killing the deceased instantly.

The bodies were immediately deposited at the Tamale West Hospital mortuary until they were released to the families for burial.

According to Superintendent Blewushie, efforts were being made to arrest both the tanker driver and the Savvy motor rider who reportedly fled the scene.