The Administrator of the Minerals Development Fund says she has no sympathy for former Awutu Senya MP Hawa Koomson after she was reportedly assaulted during the Ablekuma North election rerun on Friday, July 11.
According to Dr Hannah Louisa Bissiw, she was once a victim of political violence allegedly orchestrated by Madam Koomson.
Speaking to the media while monitoring the rerun exercise at the Odorkor Methodist 1 polling station, she said, “My word to the very person who attacked me, who brought thugs to attack me as a former Member of Parliament during the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election. She came with about 30 thugs to me; I was beaten,” she recounted.
“When the police managed to put me in their car, they chased me. What saved me from the moving car was my seatbelt.”
She continued by recounting further violence on that day.
“The former MCE for Teshie tried to intervene, but he was beaten. His wife was beaten,” she said.
“I want to put on record that any form of electoral violence – I condemn it. I want that to be on clear record. But let nobody ask me, a victim of Hawa Koomson, to sympathise or empathise with her. I don’t.”
Reaffirming her stance, she said, “I am a victim of Hawa Koomson. She danced to it, she smiled, she laughed, and I was being beaten.”
She also referenced previous violent incidents involving the former MP.
“What about those who were killed as a result of the violence at Kasoa? What will you tell their families? What about our MP for Kasoa and what she went through?”
Dr Bissiw insisted that the violence must end but rejected the idea that her party was responsible for the latest incident. “I condemn any form of electoral violence or any form of violence,” she said.
“She should advise herself and advise her own people. And let nobody point fingers at NDC because we didn’t do it.”
Responding to any suggestion that she should show sympathy for Koomson, she stated firmly, “Don’t ask me to feel sorry for Hawa Koomson because I will be lying before you and God. I don’t feel sorry one bit.”
She added, “I am a victim of Hawa Koomson. Ask her if I deserved the men that she brought to come and attack me. Ask her about the people they shot and killed at Kasoa, and the organiser who died. Go and ask her the gun that she shot and people died, did they deserve it?”
She also recalled the physical abuse she faced. “And ask Hawa Koomson about the slaps that they gave me when they were pulling me out of my moving vehicle to continue beating me. Ask Hawa Koomson, did I deserve it?”
“If I didn’t deserve it, I think she thought I did, because she brought the thugs to come and attack me. So whatever happened, if I did, she deserves it better.”
Earlier in her remarks, Dr Bissiw commented on voter turnout in the rerun.
“Some polling stations, the turnout is a bit low. It’s 3 p.m. and the NDC agents are going from house to house to bring the people,” she said.
“It is also expected that some might have gone to work, and they will want to come, so I am sure that maybe getting to the end, a lot of people will come,” she said.