CONTROVERSY OVER CAUSE OF INJURY TO 2 (PAGE 3, JAN 5)

CONTROVERSY still rages over the cause of injury to the two persons, including the Tamale Metropolitan Police Commander, Mr Abanga Caesar, at the Northern Regional delegates congress of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Tamale last Sunday.
Medical reports on the victims are said to be inconclusive, according to hospital sources.
The condition of the other victim, Issahaku Walis, who is a member of the Tamale Polytechnic students wing of the NPP, is said to be serious. He is currently on admission at the Tamale Teaching Hospital, where he is receiving treatment.
The Police Commander, who was wounded on his right thumb, has, however, been treated and discharged.
Meanwhile, the five persons who were arrested in connection with the incident are reported to have been granted police inquiry bail awaiting prosecution.
According to the Northern Regional Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Ebenezer Tetteh, the suspects would face the full rigours of the law. Their names are being withheld for security reasons.
According to Mr Caesar, the shooting incident occurred at around 11:30 am after the police attempted to prevent some unaccredited persons from following one of the candidates vying for the chairmanship position of the party into the congress hall.
As the alleged intruders were forcing their way through the main entrance, confusion broke out and “suddenly there was a shot and subsequent sharp pain in my thumb,” Mr Caesar alleged.
The police had to fire canisters of tear gas to disperse the incensed supporters for calm to return after about 15 minutes of disorder. The gun allegedly used in the shooting has not yet been retrieved.
After calm had been restored, the congress came off successfully with the election of a 53-year-old Tamale-based contractor, Alhaji Harunah Sulemana aka Harumbis, as the new Northern Regional Chairman of the NPP.
Alhaji Harumbis polled 210 out of a total of 450 votes cast to beat his closest challenger, Mr Daniel Bugri Naabu, an Accra-based contractor, who secured 139 votes.
Apart from the incumbent Regional Secretary, Clifford Braimah Mahama, who retained his position by polling 244 votes, fresh persons were elected to manage the affairs of the NPP in the region for the next four years.
They include Alhaji Rashid Abdul Rahaman, youth organiser; Alhaji Hindu Abdullah, regional organiser; Hajia Amama Shaibu, women’s organiser, and Alhaji Abubakari Adam as the regional treasurer.
Alhaji Harumbis commended the delegates for the confidence reposed in him and promised to overhaul the party in the region to improve on its chances of winning the 2012 elections.
He appealed to party members, especially the youth, to be law-abiding by co-operating with security operatives in the region to maintain law and order particularly in Dagbon.
For his part, the General Secretary of the party, Nana Ohene Ntow, urged party members to consider the 2012 elections as the mother of all elections in Ghana and show more commitment by propagating the party’s ideals to the electorate.
He advised both victors and losers to consider the end result of the delegate’s congress as a victory for the party and for democracy.
Nana Ntow commended the police for ensuring maximum security before, during and after the congress and said “the NPP would continue to co-operate with security operatives in the country to make Ghana a safe place for all”.