Osafo-Maafo (right) was the senior most government official at the venue
Richmond Kofi Amponsah Agyabeng was on Sunday, October 3 confirmed as Achiase District Chief Executive (DCE) amidst heavy security presence and manhandling of an Assembly Member in a second voting exercise.
The assemblyman has been detained at the Oda Government Hospital for further monitoring by health personnel as at the time of filing this report.
Sunday’s election was a second voting exercise after the nominee failed to secure two-third votes on Monday, September 27.
The exercise was marred by a scuffle between an assembly member, Daniel Yeboah, and the police.
Tension had built up early in the morning among some assembly members about the set date and choice of venue for the second round of elections – the hall of the Achiase District Assembly.
Their concerns could not hold as the elections were held behind closed-doors.
Only assembly members, nominee, government officials supervising the exercise and party members were allowed in. The media monitored from outside the hall.
As the election process ended for results to be announced, a misunderstanding ensued as some assembly members wanted the Electoral Commission, Ghana (EC) officials to make the counting more open, but that suggestion was not taken into consideration.
It was after this that a scuffle occurred between the Dwirase Anamase Electoral Area member, Daniel Yeboah, and some police personnel.
Checks indicated that the assembly man came out of the hall to speak on his phone and was advised by the police to move further away from the place.
That did not sit in well with him because he was already challenging accusations from a New Patriotic Party (NPP) member at that spot that he had taken some money to vote YES.
The police decided to arrest him but he resisted, biting anyone who attempted to touch him.
He was, however, overpowered by the police, handcuffed on one hand and manhandled, forcing blood out of his mouth.
It took the intervention of the Eastern Region Minister, Seth Acheampong, for the matter to be resolved.
The assemblyman was taken to the Oda Government Hospital for treatment.
He is said to be in stable condition but detained for close observation before he is discharged.
According to medical reports chanced on by 3news.com, the assembly member had the left side of his cheek swollen and reddened with multiple abrasions on the hand.
Abdominal examinations also revealed tenderness at the supra pubic area with no guarding or record of tenderness.
Meanwhile, the president’s nominee, Richmond Kofi Amponsah Agyabeng, had 15 YES votes and seven NO votes, earning him his confirmation and retention as Achiase DCE.
The results on the first voting was 13 YES and nine NO.
The elections was monitored by the regional minister and former Senior Minister Yaw Osarfo Marfo.