NPP Shocked Over MP’s Death

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has been hit by two devastating deaths, throwing the entire political grouping in a state of mourning.

The first one was the Acting Western Regional Chairman of the party, Ben Kwaw, 56, who died at the Effia Nkwanta Government Hospital on Monday after a short illness.

Even before the dust could settle on his death, the party suffered yet another loss with the cold-blooded murder of its Member of Parliament (MP) for Abuakwa North constituency, Joseph Boakye Danquah Adu, in the early hours of yesterday.

The always-smiling MP was stabbed to death by a                         yet-to-be-identified assassin whose footprints were reportedly seen on the walls of his private home, located at Shiashi in Accra.

By sunrise, news of his death had gone viral, sending shock waves among Ghanaians, including some of his political opponents – most of who wondered how a sitting MP could be murdered in such a manner – sending the police and party chiefs racing to the location.

Later at a press conference, Acting National Chairman of the NPP, Freddie Blay, could not hide his grief as he was moved to tears whiles expressing heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family as well as party gurus.

The mood at the party's Asylum Down national headquarters was that of grief and emotion, with people clad in red and black apparels.

Directive
Mr Blay has since directed that all party flags at the various levels – national, regional and constituency offices across the country – should be flown at half-mast with effect from yesterday, February 9, 2016, to Monday, February 15, 2016.

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“This is in honour of the memory of the late Mr. Ben Kwaw, NPP acting Western Regional Chairman, and the late Hon. Joseph Boakye Danquah Adu, NPP Member of Parliament for Abuakwa North…..,” he said while conveying the party's deepest condolences to the families of the two.

Leadership of the party has therefore called on all party faithful to remain calm in these trying times.

 
Hope
The NPP is however, hopeful that the police would swiftly conduct professional investigations into the gruesome murder of the MP so that as its acting National Chairman said, “the perpetrators of this horrible crime will be made to face the full rigours of the law.”

While asking for all to avoid what he termed any form of unnecessary and possibly harmful speculation at this time, Mr Blay also called on the government to “take a critical look and revise its policies and strategies towards the growing levels of insecurity and unsolved murders in the country” in view of the increasing crime wave in the country in recent times, chief among which are the December 5, 2014 shooting and killing of the Branch Manager of Ecobank at Abrepo in Kumasi and the November 12, 2015 killing of a Marketing Officer of Vodafone Ghana at his house in Sakumono, Accra.

He also mentioned the November 3, 2015 murder of the District Chief Executive of  Nkwanta South in the Volta Region; the September 14, 2015 killing of Nana Adusa Gyapong, chief of Atwima Koforidua in the Ashanti Region; the June 21, 2014 killing of the Paramount Chief of the Nanumba Traditional Area, Naa Dasana Andani; the March 12, 2014 murder of Nii Ayittey Noyatse, the Joma Mantse by unidentified assailants; November 5, 2013 assassination of the Paramount Chief of Seikwa, Nana Kwaku Dwumah Ankoana II and the March 13, 2014 killing of  Fennec Okyere, the Manager of hiplife artiste, Kwaw Kese.

Mahama, Akufo-Addo Shocked
President John Dramani Mahama also joined Ghanaians to mourn with the family of the deceased MP.

Moments after news of Mr JB Danquah Adu's death had hit the airwaves, the president posted on his Twitter handle, “Received news of my friend Hon. J.B. Danquah Adu’s murder with shock. My heart goes out to his siblings, Frank, etc, his wife & children.”

Presidential candidate of the NPP, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, also expressed grief over the death of JB, who was a close relation.

In interviews granted Peace FM and Oman FM, he prayed that the good Lord would find a resting place for the late MP whiles providing for the young family he left behind.

By Charles Takyi-Boadu