The Minority in Parliament has called for the immediate dismissal of Dr. Hanna Louisa Bissiw and Malik Basintale over what it describes as their shameful endorsement and celebration of the violent attacks that marred the Ablekuma North parliamentary rerun election on Friday, July 11, 2025.
In a strongly worded statement released on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, the Minority condemned the violence as “the most serious assault on Ghana’s democracy since the return to constitutional rule.”
They said the attacks, which targeted political figures, party agents, and journalists across multiple polling stations, were coordinated and calculated acts of electoral terrorism carried out with military-like precision.
Hon. Mavis Hawa Koomson, former Member of Parliament, was physically assaulted at the St. Peter’s Society Methodist Church polling station in Odorkor, while NPP parliamentary candidate Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie sustained facial injuries requiring medical attention. Other victims included Darkoa Newman, former MP for Okaikwei South, and a female party agent. Voters and electoral officials were also forced to flee in terror.
The Minority accused some thugs of impersonating security personnel at the Awoshie DVLA polling station to deceive voters and officials, adding that these individuals failed to provide any form of identification when apprehended by the police.
They expressed particular outrage at comments made by Dr. Hanna Louisa Bissiw, who is also CEO of the Minerals Development Fund, and Malik Basintale, Acting CEO of the Youth Employment Agency, describing their statements as incitement to violence.
Dr. Bissiw, who is also National Women’s Organiser of the NDC, was cited for her comments suggesting that “violence begets violence,” implying justification for the brutal attacks. Malik Basintale, on the other hand, was condemned for a Facebook post celebrating the man who attacked Hon. Hawa Koomson, referring to him as “the Flying python” and declaring him in charge of the “5k Airforce.”
“The most disturbing aspect of the Ablekuma North violence is not just the brutality itself, but the deliberate endorsement and celebration of these attacks by senior government officials,” the Minority said.
They described such conduct as fundamentally incompatible with democratic governance, arguing that it emboldens further lawlessness and signals that violence will be excused, justified, and even celebrated by the governing party.
The Minority further criticised the Ghana Police Service for what they termed as their failure to protect the integrity of the electoral process, raising concerns about possible complicity by Chief Superintendent Lumor Frederick Senanu.
They have therefore demanded the immediate dismissal of Dr. Hanna Louisa Bissiw and Malik Basintale, prosecution of all perpetrators of the violence, a thorough police investigation into the security lapses, and a public condemnation of the attacks by President John Mahama.
“The President cannot remain silent while members of his government celebrate violence against opposition figures. His response will determine whether Ghana continues on the path of democratic governance or slides toward the normalization of political violence,” the statement concluded.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
