Secretary General of the Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL), Mr. Abraham Koomson, has expressed a lack of sympathy for former Awutu Senya East MP, Hawa Koomson, following her involvement in violent disturbances during the parliamentary re-run in the Ablekuma North constituency.
Koomson condemned the turmoil that interrupted voting across 19 polling stations, but he did not hold back in critiquing Koomson’s own actions. “Why would anyone go to a polling station with pepper spray? What were you expecting to happen there?” he questioned, pointing to her previous behavior in such high-stress situations. “We’ve seen her role in previous incidents. Has she ever shown remorse for those actions?”
His comments echoed back to the controversial 2020 voter registration episode when Koomson admitted to firing a gun at a registration center, claiming self-defense. This past incident drew considerable backlash and continues to fuel public debate surrounding her conduct.
The recent re-run election in July 2025 was marred by rising tensions, particularly at several polling centers in Ablekuma North. Eyewitnesses recounted a chaotic scene at the St. Peter’s Methodist Church polling station where a group of men arrived in a pick-up truck and on motorbikes, sparking panic among both voters and election officials.
Despite the presence of a significant police force, reports of impersonation, vote-buying, and violence circulated, with viral videos surfacing that depicted Koomson using pepper spray during a confrontation before being overwhelmed by an angry crowd.
While Mr. Koomson reiterated his condemnation of electoral violence, he emphasized the importance of accountability for those who have previously engaged in or benefitted from such actions. “We should not condone violence under any circumstances,” he stated. “But those who have once promoted or benefited from such acts must also reflect on their actions. Maybe this is a moment of reckoning.”
