What was supposed to be a solemn burial ceremony to enable the departure of Opanyin Kwame Boadu Atiamo aka Papa Sunkwa, the father of Daniel Opare, to his final resting home has rather revealed the differences in the members of the New Patriotic Party at the Suhum constituency.       

The bloody clash, which led to a member of the Eastern regional grassroots Communicator, sustaining cutlass wounds on the forehead, was earlier blamed on Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and Minister of Trade & Industry, Allan Kyeremanteng.

According to widely held opinion in the public domain, the feuding parties were supporters of Dr. Bawumia and Mr. Kyeremanteng. However, these personalities have come publicly to clear their names.

Interestingly, some sections of the public also blame mayhem on the Director of Political Affairs at the Office of the Chief of Staff, Frank Asiedu Bekoe, often called Protozoa.

Protozoa, who described the clash as a scuffle, also denied any association with what took place but said those involved in the insane act were supporters of the Member of Parliament for Suhum, Kwadjo Oboafo Asante, and the Eastern regional grassroots communication team.

He said anybody who tries to connect him to the scuffle is only doing so to distort or misrepresent the facts, as who truly has a hand in it.

 “I, Frank Asiedu Bekoe (Protozoa), am in no way associated with any of the parties engulfed in this open tussle. I only attended the said funeral as a true son of Suhum and also based on my love for our dear communicators within the echelons of the NPP and the need to emphasize with my good friend Opare whose father was deceased,” he claimed.

A group calling itself, Eastern Regional NPP Grassroots Communicators, are also pointing their guns at the MP and his driver Jamalo to be the ones answerable to the melee.

In a petition addressed to the Inspector General of Police, the group alleged that the MP and his must be held accountable to the law since it was evident in available videos that nobody carried an offensive weapon or implement to pose threat to anyone until the MP’s driver went for the said cutlass. 

They said the cutlass wounds could have resulted in the death of the victim.  The group who numbered about 19 were Sammy Boakye, Kwasi Amoani @ Amoani Fita, Isaac Opare Boadu, Jones Agyei Twum Barimah @Joe Pasaasa, Alexander Odei @Big deal, Samuel Odei Agyei @Obama, Bright Awuku (Ofie), Nixon Out @Lawyer Nick 

Agnes Odum @Asor, Barikisu Sulemana, Samuel Ayim Gyasi @Ben, Apemasu Samuel @Cash, Prince Owusu @Taxi Driver, Osae Kwasi Okyere @ Fa Adwenpa sie, Richard Ofosu @Papa Razy, Isaac Kwaku Boakye @ Nana B, Yeboah Thompson @ No Food, Agyemang Boateng, Andrews Osei

These persons have also copied the Chief of Staff, the speaker of parliament, Majority Leader of parliament, National Chairman, and the National Communication Director of the NPP for an action to be taken against the MP and his driver.

 The MP’s reaction

• Mr Asante has challenged the group by calling on the Ghana Police Service to expedite investigations into the Saturday, August 28, 2021 clash between some grassroots supporters of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).

The MP’s call for police intervention was as the clash that happened at a funeral led to one of the party’s supporters sustaining cutlass wounds in the process of the struggle.

Mr. Asante has also distanced himself from the wild act, saying: “I unreservedly condemn the entire occurrence that has attracted negative media and public attention and call on the Ghana Police Service to expedite investigations into the matter.”

He also denied the allegation that his personal driver was involved in the exchanges and the cutlass picked or implement used in the clash was taken from his car, as the public had been made to believe.

The Suhum MP further made nonsense of the widely held perception that confusion that ensued at the funeral had something to do with Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and Minister of Trade & Industry, Allan Kyeremanteng.

“I pray that these eminent leaders of my party, the New Patriotic Party, are accorded the needed respect and dignity, and not brought into this unfortunate incident,” he urged.

According to him, the elephant emblem party, of which he is a proud member, abhor any form of violence, therefore, calls the supporters and the public to remain calm and focused while police do their work.

“My sympathies are with anyone who may have been adversely affected by the incident and I wish the injured a speedy recovery.

“As a legislator and a law-abiding citizen, I entreat my constituents to exercise restraint as the police investigate the matter and I pledge to cooperate and support in any way possible to resolve the situation peacefully,” he pleads.