‘NDC youth clash in viral video massaged’- Central Regional chairman

Professor Richard Kofi Asiedu, the Central Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has described the viral video of some alleged clashes between some NDC youth as a massaged reflection of the said misunderstandings.

According to him, the viral video has been carefully edited by some people to achieve their insatiable resolve to brand the NDC as a violent party, but they will not succeed.

“It is not true that someone has died from the mere misunderstandings that happened. Such occurrences are often normal with all major national political elections and misunderstandings are part of human endeavours, but the magnitude of occurrence as portrayed in the video is not true.

“The viral video on social media has been deliberately edited by the penetrators just to mar the reputation of the NDC meanwhile, it is not true,” Prof. Asiedu told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview.

Three men sustained various injuries when two rival groups violently clashed, throwing stones, blocks, sticks, clubs, and chairs among others during the 10th national Youth and Women delegates conference held at the University of Cape Coast New Examination Centre on Saturday.

The disturbance caused injuries to three persons and generated fear and panic among some delegates.

He likened the act to archaic political gymnastics to divert public attention from pertinent national issues.

He wondered why the Police failed to engage the party on the issue.

“We were there with the Police, so, if they need us to find us complicit in anything, they would have called us. We are more determined and unperturbed by these deeds,” he assured.

He also discredited calls for the NDC to tender an unqualified apology to the public.

“What have we done to apologize? We have done nothing and cannot apologize for what we have not done.”

Nevertheless, he urged the rank and file of the party to continue to work hard for the party as it geared to elect other national executives on Saturday, December 17, 2022, at the Accra Sports Stadium.

Meanwhile, a source at the Cape Coast Teaching hospital told the GNA all the three injured people brought to the facility following clashes at the NDC delegates conference were treated and discharged the same day.

“The injured were treated and discharged the same day, so, stop coming here to search for injured persons,” it said.

The Police said they were on a manhunt for some 16 persons in the violent disturbances, with a bounty of GH¢10,000 placed on the suspect by the Police.

A Police statement said: “After an initial review of Police-specific video footage of the event, 16 suspects have so far been identified as some people involved in the violence and have been declared wanted.

“A GH¢10,000.00 reward has been set aside for any member of the public who can provide credible information to the police that can lead to the arrest of the suspects.”

The statement further said, “investigation is ongoing to further identify, and arrest other perpetrators involved in the violence to face justice.”

On the election results, Dr Hanna Louisa Bissiw and George Opare Addo retained their positions as the National Women’s Organizer and National Youth Organizer, respectively.

Dr Bissiw polled 433 votes to beat her closest contender, Margaret Ansei who obtained 362 votes of the total valid ballots cast.