🗳️ Respecting institutions means protecting people—not personalities.
The parliamentary rerun in Ablekuma North on July 11, 2025, was intended to restore democratic representation. Instead, it exposed the fragility of Ghana’s electoral peace. The reported assault on Hon. Mavis Hawa Koomson—formerly Minister of Fisheries—at the Odorkor Methodist polling station has ignited national debate. But this moment demands more than outrage—it calls for civic clarity.
Eyewitness accounts and media coverage confirm that Hon. Koomson allegedly discharged pepper spray into a crowd during a confrontation at the polling station. Her return to the centre, after being asked to leave by police, reportedly escalated tensions. The pepper spray incident provoked a retaliatory response, leading to her physical assault and the suspension of voting.
🔁 Retaliation Is Not Reform
The irony is stark. Hon. Koomson’s political legacy includes the 2020 Kasoa gun incident, where she admitted to firing a weapon during voter registration. Today, she stands as a victim in a system still haunted by unresolved grievances and cyclical aggression.
Ghanaian democracy cannot afford selective outrage. The narrative of political revenge corrodes the very institutions it seeks to reform. Civic accountability must apply to all—without fear or favour.
Recall the tragic death of Tuariq Amadu, the Awutu Senya East NDC Constituency Secretary, in 2023—allegedly linked to election-related tensions. Though no official accountability followed, public memory remains vivid. These incidents paint a grim portrait of cyclical aggression wrapped in partisan grievance.
🧭 Questions of Civic Integrity
Can Ghana protect every participant in the electoral process, regardless of political history or party affiliation? Will institutions act impartially to investigate electoral violence—past and present? – Is it time to reject political militancy in favour of measured reform and public safety?
⚖️ A Nation Must Lead With Principle
Democracy is not measured by which party wins—it is judged by how the people are protected during the process. Institutions must not wait for public pressure to act. The sanctity of the vote cannot coexist with the tolerance of violence.
“Those who come with equity must come with clean hands.”
Justice is not a partisan weapon—it is the spine of civic trust.
🗣️ Pull-Quote Panel
The Weight of One Hand Cannot Lift a Burden
“Reciprocity is not retaliation—it is the grammar of respectful diplomacy.”
“When one side limits access, it signals mistrust. The dignified response is not silence, but recalibration.”
🕊️ Final Call
Let us demand a full, impartial inquiry—not to vindicate a politician, but to uphold electoral sanctity. No citizen should face brutality for standing at a polling station. Ghana deserves leadership that stands above vendetta—grounded in ethics, resilience, and institutional dignity.
Retired Senior Citizen
Teshie-Nungua
[email protected]
