The day in 2019 when a sitting MP was slapped by masked, unknown men

On Thursday, January 31, 2019, while a bye-election was underway at the Ayawaso West-Wuogon constituency, violence broke out.

The escalated tensions led to a number of things, including the slapping of a sitting Member of Parliament, Sam Nartey George of Ningo-Prampram, when some masked, armed men attacked him.

The election in the constituency was necessitated by the death of the MP, Emmanuel Kyeremateng Agyarko, who died on November 21, 2018, at the age of 60 in the United States after a prolonged illness.

Below is how GhanaWeb reported the incident at the Bawaleshie Park:

The ongoing Ayawaso West Wuogon by-elections has been hit by chaos and violent protests after some suspected security personnel fired bullets at the Bawaleshie centre.

Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Sam George commenting on the development in a Facebook post said he was victimized by some members of the NPP Invincible Forces.

According to him, several rounds of ammunition were fired at him while he was performing his monitoring duties at the center.

“I have just been assaulted by several members of the NPP Invincible Forces attired in National Security Council shirts and vests. They fired several rounds of ammunition at me simply because I was doing my legal job of monitoring the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election”.

Meanwhile, heavy security has been implored at the center as the police try to maintain calm and order following the riots.

Reports suggest that some persons were injured; shot in the leg and arm by the suspected security personnel and an unconfirmed number of persons have been reported dead.

Voting currently has been suspended at the polling station and voters and eyewitnesses who are obviously displeased with the incident are also protesting.

The by-election has been necessitated by the demise of the MP of the area Emmanuel Agyarko.

Mr. Kyeremanteng Agyarko died in November at a hospital in the United States after a protracted ailment.

Political watchers say the polls is a straight fight between one of the late MP’s wive’s, Lydia Alhassan, and the NDC’s Delali Kwesi Brempong.