Street processions associated with political rallies banned in Berekum

The Brong-Ahafo Regional Security Council has with immediate effect, banned street processions associated with political rallies in the Berekum Municipality.      The decision of the Council follows the violent clashes between supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the municipality last Sunday.      A statement signed by Mr. Francis Opoku Boateng, Regional Coordinating Director, said the council took the decision at a meeting after the violent clashes.      It said the meeting discussed and took measures to stop such acts in the run-up to the presidential and parliamentary elections in December this year.      The Council asked security committees to inform political party executives in the municipality about the decision and asked security agencies to strictly enforce the ban.       In a related development, a statement signed by Mr. Lord Oppong Stephen, NDC parliamentary candidate for Berekum has expressed regret for the clash and pledged that "we in the NDC wish that it never happens again".      The statement described as a complete lie claims by Mr. Kwesi Adu Gyan, the  Brong-Ahafo Regional Chairman of the NPP that the NDC was responsible for the clashes.      The statement said the false accusations levelled by the NPP on the NDC on the orchestration of the clash and the rush by the NPP to air their concerns were "nothing but a calculated plan to quickly cover up the 'shit bombing' or smearing of faeces carried out at the party's office on September 14 this year."      "What happened at the roundabout on Sunday was a clear case of NPP supporters and their executives including the Municipal Chief Executive, Mr. Kwabena Kyere Yeboah and a host of others ambushing and mobbing the peace loving NDC supporters who were returning to Berekum and surrounding communities after a football match at Senase, about two kilometres away from Berekum", the statement said.      The statement described as false the claims that the NDC did not obtain a permit from the police before organising the match.      The statement appealed to the "teeming supporters of the NDC especially the youth to remain calm and resolute and rally behind the party amidst extreme provocation and intimidation knowing that God is definitely on our side so we cannot fail".      It appealed to the NDC supporters and sympathisers both at home and abroad to unite as well as contribute both in kind and cash to support the party. GNA