The election of regional executive members for the Ashanti regional branch of the December 31 Women's Movement (DMW) at the Salisburg Hotel in Kumasi was nearly marred on Wednesday when two uniformed Police Officers in crash helmets arrived at the premises.

They came in an Urvan bus with registration No. AS 3085 Q at exactly 3.30 p.m. in the company of 12 young men.

Hardly had the vehicle pulled up than a police officer and two of the boys rushed into the building at a time when the former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings was swearing the newly elected executives into office.

Without speaking to anyone, the intruders started picking up the sound equipment and compact discs of the spinning group - Georgino Soundz with Mr. Manu, a resident of Atonsu in Kumasi, as the DJ for the occasion.

When questioned about their rude interruption which was hardly noticed by media men present the group claimed they were from the Copyright Administration Office and that they were on their routine checks to ascertain whether the spinning group was using genuine CDs or pirated ones.

Nothing was however, carried away as they realized Manu was using genuine CDs.

Mr. Kofi Lawson, an Assistant Director in the office of the former President in charge of protocol condemned the intrusion, describing it as uncalled for. He wondered if the intruders were indeed from the Administration and if it was not a calculated attempt to mar the programme.

The elections formed part of activities marking the Silver Jubilee celebration of the DWM in the Ashanti Region under the theme: "Women for Empowerment and Development in Ashanti".

Miss Alice Konadu was elected Regional Chairperson with Grace
Aboagye Yeboah and Veronica Antwi Adjei as the Regional Organizer and Secretary respectively.

The President of the Movement, Mrs. Rawlings urged the new executives to be dedicated and work hard to assert their loyalty to the Movement and the cause of women.
Credit: The Chronicle