Foreign Policy and a Security Analyst, Adib Saani has described the recent attitude of the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Awutu Senya East and Minister of Special Development Initiative, Mavis Hawa Koomson as irresponsible.
According to him, not only does the minister’s action not speak well of her but it is also setting a bad precedent which can lead to violence at other polling stations.
Speaking in an interview with Happy 98.9 FM’s Samuel Eshun on the Happy Morning Show, Adib Saani said, “What she did was irresponsible and it will set a dangerous precedent. And everyone who visits a polling centre will carry a gun which will cause fear for all and possibly cause us all to suffer.”
Adib Saani motioned that one can only draw out a gun if the individual is faced with a threat which is proportionate to that response. But from information reaching Happy 98.9 FM, the minister’s decision to pull out a gun was unprovoked.
Regardless of it being in the minister’s right to own a firearm, Adib Saani posited that carrying a firearm does not solve problems but makes situations worse.
He stated, “In many instances, guns escalate problems rather than deescalate them.”
He advised the citizenry and gun owners to exercise a great deal of patience and rather engage the police to resolve issues of violence rather than draw out their guns.
On Monday, officials of the Electoral Commission had to close down the Step to Christ registration centre in the Awutu Senya East constituency after gun-wielding men stormed the premises with the MP.
About 15 men, led by Hawa Koomson, were accused of trying to prevent prospective voters from partaking in the registration exercise and burning motorbikes in the process whilst firing gunshots in the process.
However, the MP of the constituency has assumed all blame for the gunshots insisting she discharged the weapon for her own safety.