Kasoa churches back Hawa Koomson, disagree with Peace Council

Some churches in Kasoa, within the Awutu Senya East Constituency, have disagreed with a call by the Chairman of the National Peace Council, Rev Prof Emmanuel Asante, for the member of Parliament to resign over registration centre shooting incident.

“Our call is based on the law of natural principles solidly grounded in the 1992 Constitution of Ghana. The MP, we local members of the clergy, know her as not of a violent character. She has, for several years, remained a very calm and solemn political figure worthy of emulation in our society”, the Council of Churches said in a statement.

The Kasoa Ofaakor Local Council of Churches in the Awutu Senya municipality called on the  National Peace Council of Ghana to refrain from calling for the resignation of the Mavis Hawa Koomson.

The Chairman of the National Peace Council, Most Rev Emmanuel Asante, on July 22  asked the MP for Awutu Senya East, Hawa Koomson to resign.

The call followed an incident at a registration center, Steps to Christ, in the Awutu Senya East constituency where gunshots were fired.

The MP and Minister for Special Development Initiatives admitted to firing the gunshot in self-defence, claiming that some thugs led by the National Democratic Congress(NDC) attempted to attack her.

“I realized that my peoples’ lives were in danger. I wanted to scare them; it was my gun. I fired my own warning shot,” the cabinet minister said.

But according to Rev Prof Asante, the MP’s action is an embarrassment to the President and her party

“The president of the Republic who appointed her has been embarrassed and she should do the honorable thing if I were her to resign from her position,” he said

Most Rev. Emmanuel Asante also asked the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) to institute disciplinary action against her for tarnishing its image.

“I wish that the NPP will take note of this and take action in respect of what she has done to bring their name into disrepute,” he said.

Security analyst, Professor Kwesi Aning, has also called for the dismissal of Hawa Koomson.

“It is my hope that his Excellency the President will ask Ms. Hawa Koomson to step aside by tomorrow afternoon or probably dismiss her, she has done her party, constituents, and certainly the good people of Ghana a great disservice,” he said.

But the  Council said: “The fact of the matter is that she was caught up in the midst of thugs who were wielding weapons and without the presence of her personal bodyguard”.

“Supposed her personal bodyguard was even around, she, the MP and minister, also has the sole responsibility over her life and possesses every right to defend herself”, the Council argued.