NPP, NDC Trade Accusations Ahead Of By-Election

As the Nkoranza North Constituency by-election draws near, both the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have been trading accusations and counter accusations.

While the NPP accuses the opposition NDC of importing thugs to the area to cause mayhem, the NDC has denied this and is accusing the NPP of using “Russian type inferior tactics”.

This, the party said, was to get the security agencies to intimidate the people and give them the advantage of winning, having realised that their candidate was no match for his NDC counterpart.

The National Organiser of the NDC, Mr Samuel Ofosu- Ampofo, has meanwhile, called on the electorate to vote massively for Dr Kofi Amoako-Gyampah, the NDC candidate, in the by-election.

He asked them not to be be intimidated by the misinformation being peddled by the NPP and that the NDC had truly demonstrated a sense of selflessness and devotion to the constituency.

Speaking to the Daily Graphic, Mr Ofosu Ampofo said the NPP, out of frustration, had resorted to 'communist inferior tactics' and was alleging that the NDC had brought five buses full of thugs to beat up the people and disorganise the election.

He alleged that the NPP wanted to use such diversionary tactics to incite the security personnel to intimidate the NDC members because NPP had lost the election in advance.

He asked the security personnel not to be influenced by the deceit of the NPP because nothing like that was happening and campaigning was going on peacefully.

The Nkoranza North Constituency by-election became necessary as a result of the resignation of the Member of Parliament ((MP) for the area, Mr Eric Amoateng, from Parliament.

He is currently in the United States of America facing trial for a drug-related offence.

Mr Ofosu-Ampofo, who expressed optimism that his party would win the by-election hands down, said his team was always on the ground and had performed tremendously.

“There is nothing that can change the absolute confidence the electorate have reposed in Dr Amoako-Gyampah, the 31-year-old indefatigable medical officer”.

Dr Amoako Gyampah is competing with Major Derrick Oduro (retd), who is also the Presiding Member of the Nkoranza North District Assembly.

Mr Ofosu- Ampofo justified his optimism that his party would win the by-elections and said that after Dr Amoako-Gyampah had completed his medical training and returned to Ghana he worked at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.

He said when there was a shortage of medical officers at Nkoranza, the young doctor denied himself the comfort of working in Kumasi and opted to work at the St Theresa's Hospital for three years.

He stressed that “because of his hard work, he is managing the Jema District Hospital, also in the same Nkoranza District”.

When this reporter later spoke to the National Chairman of the NPP, Mr Peter Mac Manu, he maintained that the NDC had brought thugs into the constituency to unleash tension and violence, and thereby create panic among the people.

He attributed what he termed the negative attitude of the NDC to the fact that the party had lost the by-election and thereby predicted that the NPP would have a landslide victory and even increase the margin by which it won in the 2004.

He said the NPP was a peaceful party, which believed in the rule of law and would not do anything that would taint the electoral process.

Story by Nana Yaw Barimah