Election years in Ghana come with various degrees of tension and rise in social vices which are mostly equally felt by every Ghanaian.
This year however, has proven to be unconventional as the target group for these vices have been high profile personalities who are linked in one way or the other to political parties.
In the last couple of weeks, over 5 cases of robbery and assault targeted at political party executives and some government officials have been recorded.
In spite of the severity of these cases, security agencies are yet to bring a closure to them.
GhanaWeb in this article, brings its readers a compilation of some of the robbery and assault cases targeted at party executives and government officials.
1. Mfantseman MP shot dead
Perhaps the most severe case involving a high-profile personality in the country. The Member of Parliament for Mfantseman, Ekow Quansah Hayford who was in the company of his team were victims of an alleged highway robbery.
According to an eyewitness account, the MP was shot dead on the Abeadze Dominase - Abeadze Duadzi - Mankessim road when returning from a campaign trip on Friday October 9, 2020 around 1:00 am. Not only him, his driver was also shot.
2. MP for Tarkwa Nsuem, Mireku Duker’s family attacked with cutlass
In an alleged attack which was targeted at the Member of Parliament for Tarkwa, Mireku Duker, two members of his family took the hit.
According to media reports, a group of armed men inflicted machete wounds on at least two members of the MP’s family. The incident was reported on Sunday, October 11, 2020
The MP in an attempt to paint a clear picture of exactly what happened explained in an interview that the attack started with a knife that was pulled on a boy over suspicion that he was recording the thugs who perpetrated the act.
3. Ashanti Region EC boss attacked and robbed at gunpoint
In another related development in the Ashanti Region, the Electoral Commission boss in the region was attacked and robbed at gun point. The incident reportedly occurred on the Anwiankwanta-Obuasi highway when the EC boss, Benjamin Bannor was returning from an official trip to the Western Region.
According to reports, his personal belongings were seized along with those of other persons who embarked on the trip with him. Fortunately, however, no deaths were recorded in that particular incident.
4. NDC Youth Organiser shot dead by unknown gunmen at Pusiga
On October 5, 2020, a targeted attacked was launched on a youth organiser of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Pusiga District of the Upper East Region.
According to reports, the NDC branch executive identified as Khalifa was shot twice in the leg and stomach after his assailants demanded for the GHC70, 000 they claimed he kept to buy a house within the area.
One person has so far been arrested in connection with the incident while his accomplices are said to be on the run.
5. West Mamprusi MCE escapes targeted robbery attack
In another case of robbery in the North East Region, the Municipal Chief Executive of the area, Issahaku Aremeyaw Somo became the target of the unknown assailants.
According to his narration, the robbers blocked his convoy while he was on his way to disburse money to some victims of the recent floods in the area.
Explaining the incident to the media, he said “…Fortunately, the police came in. But then at the time, they had already shot a motor rider on the leg. I was with the chiefs distributing the money when they brought him. They quickly rushed him to the hospital. I was alarmed, so I quickly had to go back to Walewale.”
6. NDC executives in Ashanti Region robbed; 4 injured
A number of executives of the opposition NDC in the Ashanti Region were also allegedly subjected to similar circumstances while they were on a return trip from Afigya-Kwabre South Constituency.
The executives including the Deputy Ashanti Regional Youth Organiser, Onasis Kobby were reportedly robbed at gunpoint.
“They hit the Constituency Women Organiser, the Deputy Constituency Youth Organiser and the Communications Officer with the butts of the gun leaving them with severe injuries. They later ransacked the vehicles and took mobile phones, money and other valuables and bolted with the booty into the bush”, Onasis Kobby told the media.
The security agencies are yet to bring closure to most of the reported cases