Phyllis Naa Koryoo Okunor, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Parliamentary Candidate (PC) for Awutu Senya East, has disclosed that she acquired a gun to protect herself against Hawa Koomson, the current Member of Parliament (MP) for Awutu Senya East and Fisheries Minister, who had on four occasions pulled a gun on her.
She claims that, during the 2020 elections, the MP threatened her on four separate occasions, with no action taken by the Police. She accused the Kasoa police of failing to investigate and prosecute the minister.
In an interview on Point Blank on Eyewitness News on Citi FM on Wednesday, Ms Okunor, revealed that she carries a firearm for her protection, since the police keep shielding, Hawa Koomson, who was seen wielding a pistol at a voter registration centre ahead of the 2020 election.
Mrs Koomson’s gun incident, became topical during her vetting in 2021. However, she was let off the hook because interestingly the NDC female caucus in Parliament, supported her arguing that as Minister of Special Development Initiatives, she was helpful to them.
At the same time, her compatriots from the Northern regions, and in the NDC Minority, also threw their weight behind her. They had claimed that chiefs and opinion leaders were calling them to pass Hawa Koomson, who is from the Ganja ethnic group.
“There is the need for me to do that because I can best protect myself and not any other person against Hawa Koomson.”
“When we go back into the 2019-2020 elections, Hawa Koomson pulled a gun on me on four different occasions. No arrest was done, no interrogations, no investigations, nothing. The case just died. And since the police haven’t provided any form of protection for me,” Phyllis Naa Koryoo Okunor, stated.
Ms Okunor, also denied being arrested on Sunday following violence in Kasoa saying she was only invited by the police when a gun was found in her car. She insisted that the gun is registered.
On Sunday, June 2, 2024, the Ghana Police Service arrested three individuals at Ofaakor, near Kasoa in the Central Region, for unlawful possession of a firearm.
The suspects, including Ms Okunor, Mustapha Mohammed, and Abdul Aziz Musah, were apprehended near the EC Office at Ofaakor while onboard a Honda CRV saloon car with registration number GX-2044-19.
A pump-action gun with four rounds of ammunition was retrieved from the vehicle.
The arrests were made following a violent incident at the Electoral Commission’s office in Kasoa, which resulted in injuries to four individuals including, Ato Koomson, the son of incumbent MP Mavis Hawa Koomson, who was stabbed in the chest.
The NDC Parliamentary Candidate (PC) for Awutu Senya East, stated that she was not arrested as reported in connection with the violence that erupted during a vote transfer exercise in Kasoa but was only invited by the police because her driver and security guard had been arrested, and with a licensed gun found in her car.
The Ghana Police Service in a statement on Sunday, June 2 2024 claimed that three persons were arrested at Ofaakor, near Kasoa in the Central Region for possession of a firearm without lawful authority.
She explained during the interview with Umaru Sanda Amadu that “I have never been arrested. Yes, I was invited to the police station. I was not arrested. I was there because I had to go there.
“My driver was arrested, and my security guard was arrested because a licensed gun was found in my car…It was far away from the registration centre.”
The incident followed the injuries of four people after violence broke out at the EC’s office in Kasoa.
One of the injured individuals had to be transferred to the 37 Military Hospital in Accra due to the severity of his injuries.
The violence occurred around 5 am and involved members of the NDC and the NPP.
According to an eyewitness, the clash erupted over a disagreement regarding the queuing of voters seeking to transfer their votes to the constituency.
During the violence, Ato Koomson son of incumbent MP Mavis Hawa Koomson, who works at the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) was stabbed in his chest and has since been rushed to the 37 Military Hospital in Accra.
Some three members of the NDC were also injured and placed on admission at the Kasoa Polyclinic.
“At around 4:30, we got information that there was a misunderstanding over the seating arrangement at the centre. And so we got there and noticed that the issue was escalating. Ato Koomson the son of MP Hawa Koomson came around and tried to maintain peace but one gentleman from the NDC resisted and decided to attack Ato Koomson instead.
“The police have arrested the gentleman in question and so we will follow up later” Mike Addy constituency secretary for the NPP in Awutu Senya East told Citi News.
A statement from the NDC communication Bureau in Awutu Senya East also condemned the incident while blaming the New Patriotic Party for the troubles.
The statement signed by the constituency Communication officer for the NDC in Awutu Senya East Delali Seworkpor described the incident as yet another instance of aggression, and lawlessness perpetuated by the New Patriotic Party.
The statement further accused the son of incumbent MP Mavis Hawa Koomson of being behind the violence.
“We are closely monitoring the actions of the police in dealing with the issues. We have noticed with concerns the police decision to take into custody Daniel Techie Mensah the NDC constituency organiser and this action appears selective and raises questions about the impartiality of the police,” portions of the statement read.
Police, have since arrested two persons, including the constituency organizer of the NDC in connection with the violence.
