Deputy Presidential Spokesperson, Shamima Muslim, has raised concerns over the presence of former Fisheries Minister and ex-Member of Parliament, Mavis Hawa Koomson, at the recent Ablekuma North parliamentary rerun, suggesting her involvement may have heightened tensions.

Speaking on Joy News’ AM Show on Monday, July 14, Ms Muslim questioned the continued lack of accountability regarding Hawa Koomson’s past conduct, particularly referencing the widely condemned 2020 Kasoa incident, where the former MP discharged a firearm at a voter registration centre.

“You know that the person of Hawa Koomson, who wielded a gun, moved out a gun, and shot a gun, and then there were casualties in the Kasoa area, to date, she has not been held accountable,” Ms Muslim stated.

She argued that in the absence of consequences for such actions, Koomson’s presence at sensitive electoral activities could understandably provoke unease and suspicion.

“So when Hawa Koomson is seen around an election area, it will increase tensions and people will wonder why she is there,” she said.

• Read also: Hawa Koomson assaulted as chaos erupts in Ablekuma North rerun

Ms Muslim also addressed reports of violence against Hawa Koomson during the Ablekuma North rerun, condemning the assault but urging a broader discussion about the former minister’s conduct on the day.

“Unfortunately, as a woman, I cannot with any clear conscience say it is acceptable that she was beaten the way she was beaten. Personally, I cannot say that,” she noted.

However, she emphasised that Koomson’s actions on the day of the rerun must also be scrutinised.

“We cannot also now try to discount why she was there, why she had access to the perimeter, why she held the pepper spray, [and] why she sprayed out a pepper spray at the point that security agencies had cordoned her and were providing her protection,” Ms Muslim added.

Background

The Ablekuma North rerun on Friday, July 11, descended into chaos when violence erupted at the St. Peter’s Society Methodist Church polling station in Odorkor.

A group of unidentified armed men, described by eyewitnesses as “macho men,” arrived in a pickup truck accompanied by motorbikes, forcing panic among voters, electoral officials, and security personnel.

During the melee, several political figures, including Mavis Hawa Koomson, were assaulted. The incident has reignited national conversations about political vigilantism, accountability, and the security of Ghana’s electoral processes.