The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has suspended its campaign in the Mfantseman constituency of the Central Region following the death of the local MP, Ekow Hayford.
Hayford, representing the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), was shot dead by armed men after his vehicle was attacked on the Nkusukum Mankessim-Abeadze road. His driver, who sustained injuries in the attack, is said to be responding to treatment.
A statement issued and signed by the constituency chairman for the NDC, Fred Budu Hagan, said: “We have been awakened with the unpleasant and extremely sad news of the barbaric murder of Hon Ekow Hayford, the MP and NPP PC for Mfantseman, by unknown armed robbers. [The incident has been confirmed] by various media reports as well as the eyewitness account of the Mfantseman Constituency NPP’s 1st vice-chairman, and we write to express our deepest condolences to the family and the NPP.
“We write to communicate the decision of the NDC parliamentary candidate for Mfantseman-Odziifo, James Essoun, to suspend his campaigns in the constituency until Monday, in honour of the death of the sitting NPP MP/PC,’’ the statement said.
“Vicious attack”
The NDC urged President Akufo-Addo to act swiftly to address what it described as the poor security situation across the country.
“In expressing our utmost condolences to the good people of Mfantseman, we call on the NPP government of Nana Akufo-Addo to arrest the poor security situation across the country.
“We recall how some NDC regional executives of the Ashanti Region and Betty Mould Iddrisu were also attacked viciously by armed robbers on their way from campaigns few days ago. And similar happenings in other parts of the country.”
The statement also called on people with actionable intelligence to assist the security agencies in Mfantseman to apprehend the culprits to safeguard peace in Ghana.
Robbery incidents
In the past few months, Ghana has witnessed a number of armed robbery attacks, raising fears about security in the nation.
In July, a Seventh-Day Adventist Church member was robbed and gunned down in Kumasi.
In the same month, a pastor was shot dead in Kokoben, Kumasi. A young mobile money vendor was killed in the same way at Onwe, close to Ejisu, also in the Ashanti Region.
About three weeks ago, highway robbers attacked a bullion van in Manso, killing a cashier in the incident.
And last week highway robbers shot into a VIP coach and other vehicles, leaving one person with an eye injury.
Fred Dzakpata
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