The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Communications Director for Binduri in the Upper East Region, Emmanuel Azumah, has called for increased security measures in the area as the 2024 elections draw closer.
He claimed that this was necessary because of persistent attacks on NPP political activists who are campaigning for presidential candidate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and parliamentary candidate, Abdulai Abanga.
Reacting to a recent attack on the vehicle of Binduri NPP Chairman, Samuel Ayaabo on Monday, he alleged that no single week passed without the Binduri Constituency recording some pockets of attacks.
He claimed the vehicle, branded with the paraphernalia of the Vice President, was set ablaze on Monday this year, after two gunmen invaded the house of the Constituency Chairman.
According to him, the gunmen who stormed the house after Mr Ayaabo finished addressing a meeting involving the Youth and Women’s Wings of the party reportedly ordered the wife of the chairman to lie down and went ahead to pour a liquid substance, believed to be petrol, and burned the vehicle into ashes.
Other eyewitnesses said the chairman, who was the target, managed to escape unhurt.
The Communication Director told the Ghanaian Times that the constituency was “sitting on a time bomb” as some natives vowed to disrupt activities of the party and warned they would deal with party enthusiasts who wore the NPP presidential candidate’s branded T-shirts and other paraphernalia.
“Our women who composed a song for Dr Bawumia have been warned to discontinue doing so. The youth have been asked not to do Dr Bawumia’s bidding, and we have received audio recordings on that.
“The security have to up their game before some party supporters lose their lives,” Mr Azumah, who doubles as the Assemblyman for the Binduri Central Electoral Area, added.
Meanwhile, calm has since returned to the area after the Upper East Regional Minister, Dr Hafiz Bin Salih, accompanied by the police and other security personnel, visited the area to engage the youth on the need for them to embrace peace ahead of the crucial elections which would be held later this year.
The security have pledged to mount a manhunt for the perpetrators.
This is the fifth time such an incident happened in the Bawku enclave, as the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Pusiga, Abdulai Zuberu, and other party functionaries in the Pusiga District had their fair share of the attacks months ago.
FROM FRANCIS DABRE DABANG, BINDURI
