BY Issah Olegor
Dr. Hanna Louisa Bissiw, National Women’s Organiser of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and CEO of the Minerals Development Fund, is facing intense criticism after justifying an attack on former Fisheries Minister and New Patriotic Party (NPP) stalwart, Mavis Hawa Koomson, during the parliamentary rerun in the Ablekuma North constituency.
In an interview with Channel One TV’s Fauzu Masawudu, Bissiw responded to reports that Hawa Koomson and the NPP’s parliamentary candidate, Nana Akua Afriyieh, had been assaulted by unknown men at the St. Peter’s Society polling station.
Her response, which included the statement “violence begets violence”, has drawn condemnation from political observers and rights advocates who say it risks normalizing political violence.
The Ablekuma North parliamentary rerun, held across 19 polling stations, was organized by the Electoral Commission following disputes in the December 2024 general elections.
The constituency has been a hotspot of political tension, with both the NPP and NDC heavily investing in securing the seat.
But the rerun descended into chaos as physical altercations broke out at multiple polling centres, leading to injuries and disrupted voting.
Dr. Bissiw, in her remarks, questioned why Hawa Koomson’s past record on election violence should not be considered in assessing the incident.
“What didn’t Hawa Koomson do?” she asked rhetorically. “What I’m trying to say is that violence begets violence. If you live by the sword, you’ll die by the sword.”
She further alleged that she had once been a victim of violence allegedly instigated by Koomson.
“I was beaten because she led thugs to come and beat me up,” Bissiw claimed, referencing what she said occurred during a previous election incident in the Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency
While she distanced the NDC from the violence in Ablekuma North, Bissiw speculated that the attack may have come from within the NPP itself, calling it “an internal something.”
“Nobody sent anyone to go and beat her. As far as I am concerned, it may even be something they [NPP] visited on her internally,” she asserted.
Despite those remarks, she added that the NDC had no reason to cause disruption because they were confident of winning the seat.
“This is very peaceful. We are taking the day, and we do not have any need to destroy the elections because we are winning,” she said.
Her comments have sparked outrage, especially among those who see them as legitimizing mob justice and setting a dangerous precedent for political discourse.
Critics argue that Bissiw’s remarks undermine the NDC’s public commitment to peace and democratic integrity.
The Ghana Police Service has not yet identified the individuals responsible for the attack on Hawa Koomson and Nana Akua Afriyieh, but a number of high-ranking NPP officials, including the party’s Deputy National Organiser, were also reportedly assaulted during the same rerun.
Former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia condemned the violence earlier in the day, saying it “undermines the democratic process and is not the democracy Ghana deserves.” Other voices, including NPP executives and civil society actors, have called for swift investigations and prosecutions.
