CEO of the Minerals Development Fund and National Women’s Organiser of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr. Hanna Louisa Bissiw, has defended the assault on former Fisheries Minister Mavis Hawa Koomson during the Ablekuma North parliamentary rerun, asserting that she doesn’t feel sorry for Hawa Koomson.
Speaking on GHOne TV, Dr. Bissiw made it clear she holds no sympathy for Hawa Koomson, whom she accused of past acts of violence, including a personal attack against her during the infamous 2019 Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election.
“In the first place, my words to the very person who was attacked — who brought thugs to attack me as a former Member of Parliament during the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election — she came with about 30 men who beat me directly,” Bissiw recalled.
“When the police managed to put me in my car, they chased me. What saved me was my seatbelt. I want to put on record that I condemn any form of electoral violence, but let nobody ask me, a victim of Hawa Koomson, to sympathize or empathize with her. I don’t. I don’t feel sorry for Hawa Koomson one bit.”
Dr. Bissiw also referenced previous allegations involving Koomson, including the infamous incident in Kasoa where the former minister admitted to firing a gun during voter registration.
“Did I deserve what her thugs did to me? The guns she shot in Kasoa in December and during the previous election — did the victims deserve it?” she questioned.
Her comments follow the latest scenes of violence at the Odorkor Methodist Church polling station, where Hawa Koomson allegedly discharged pepper spray during an altercation, forcing voting to be temporarily halted.
Tensions escalated further at the St. Peter’s polling station when suspected political thugs stormed the premises and attacked party agents and journalists. NPP parliamentary candidate Nana Akua Afriyie and a female polling agent reportedly sustained facial injuries. Hawa Koomson was also reportedly assaulted.
The Electoral Commission (EC) is supervising the rerun in 19 polling stations in the Ablekuma North Constituency, after verification issues affected 37 polling centres during the December 2024 general elections. While results from 18 of the disputed stations have been certified, fresh voting is required in the remaining 19.
Ablekuma North has had no parliamentary representation since the 2024 elections. The EC has maintained that the rerun is essential to finalising the electoral process and restoring democratic representation.
