The Okaikwei Central (OKC) Communication Bureau of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) embarked on a mission of compassion and solidarity on Wednesday, January 31, to mark the 5th anniversary of the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election violence.
The event has etched a day of unrest into the nation’s collective election memory.
The bureau chose to turn a sombre anniversary into a beacon of hope by visiting a victim of the mayhem at New Fadama, Ishau Yaro.
The delegation, led by NDC OKC Communication Officer Ibrahim Osumanu Samandulgu comprised Deputy Communication Officer Reuben Kofi Obrey, Deputy Women’s Organizer Salomey Ayiteyfio, and the Assembly member for the area, Mahfuz Mohammed.
The Okaikwei Central delegation carried with them not just relief items but a message of unity and resilience, which cheered up Yaro, whose spirit, despite the scars of the past, remains unbroken.
The items they presented included bags of rice, cooking oil, packs of water, and an undisclosed amount of money, described as the widow’s mite of the constituency.
The exchange was more than a mere transfer of goods; it was a moment of healing. Ibrahim expressed the community’s ongoing support for Yaro, emphasizing that the gesture is a testament to their unwavering solidarity.
Yaro, moved by the gesture, thanked the team for not just the relief items but for reminding him that he was not alone.
The Ayawaso West by-election took place on 31 January 2019 after the death of the incumbent MP Emmanuel Kyeremateng Agyarko on 21 November 2018. Lydia Alhassan of the New Patriotic Party was elected with 69% of the vote.
Violence, however, marred the by-election when the La-Bawaleshie polling station was attacked two hours after the election had started by masked men who were alleged to be National Security Operatives.
Though there was no death recorded there were casualties. Ningo-Prampram MP Sam George was among the people who were assaulted and 18 people were wounded by gunshots including Ishau Yaro.
