, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has pledged to establish a welfare fund to support party members in times of distress, particularly those who suffer harm in service to the party.){kind=link}
Former Vice President and 2024 Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has pledged to establish a welfare fund to support party members in times of distress, particularly those who suffer harm in service to the party.
Dr. Bawumia made the promise during a sympathy visit on Sunday, July 13, to Chris Lloyd, the NPP’s Deputy National Youth Organiser, who is recuperating after being brutally assaulted during last Friday’s election rerun in Ablekuma North, Greater Accra Region.
In widely circulated videos, Lloyd was seen being attacked by a group of men alleged to be supporters of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC). The assault has sparked widespread condemnation.
Dr. Bawumia, in his visit to the injured party official’s residence, expressed deep sympathy and reiterated his commitment to the welfare of party loyalists.
“We must take care of our own, especially in times like this. I will work towards establishing a welfare fund to ensure that no committed party member is left alone in difficult times,” Dr. Bawumia said.
The former Vice President also paid visits to:
• Mavis Hawa Koomson, former Minister of Fisheries, who was also reportedly assaulted during the same election;
• Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie, NPP Parliamentary Candidate for Ablekuma North;
• And several party polling agents who were attacked during the electoral process.
Bawumia condemned the attacks and called for swift investigations and justice for the victims, warning that failure to hold the perpetrators accountable could embolden further acts of violence.
“These actions must not go unpunished. If the law fails to act, the memory of these injustices will not be forgotten,” he said.
The Electoral Commission (EC) organized the rerun of elections at 19 polling centres in Ablekuma North on July 11, 2025, after the December 2024 general elections in the constituency were annulled due to irregularities. Issues included missing pink sheets, destruction of electoral materials, and a fire outbreak at the Kwashieman Cluster of Schools — where some disputed results were stored.
Unfortunately, the rerun was also marred by violence, with at least four separate attacks reported. One incident involved the assault of a journalist by a police officer, while others targeted polling agents and political figures.
Despite police intervention and the eventual resumption of voting at the affected centres, the violent incidents have drawn criticism from civil society organisations (CSOs), religious bodies, and political leaders.
The Ghana Police Service says it has launched an investigation into the attacks and is working to identify and apprehend the perpetrators.