The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has called on the Minister for Communication, Digital Technology, and Innovation, Sam Nartey George, to exercise restraint and speak with the decorum expected of his office, following comments the Minister made in relation to the violence that occurred during the Ablekuma North parliamentary rerun.
Speaking in an interview with the media, Asiedu Nketia stated: “This is wrong. You are a Minister of State now, so you need to speak as one.”
His comments were in response to what many viewed as an attempt by Sam George to downplay or politicise the violence, rather than condemning it outright.
On July 11, 2025, the rerun election in Ablekuma North was disrupted by violence at the St. Peter’s Methodist polling station in Odorkor, where former Fisheries Minister Mavis Hawa Koomson was assaulted by unidentified individuals. The incident drew widespread condemnation across political and civic circles.
Vice President and NPP flagbearer Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia described the attack as a serious threat to Ghana’s democracy and urged President Mahama to act swiftly. In response, Sam George questioned Bawumia’s sincerity, referencing the 2019 Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election during which he himself was assaulted, and alleged that no justice had been served.
“I am still waiting for the police to act on my complaint from Ayawaso West Wuogon. It must be treated as a first‑come, first‑served basis,” he wrote on social media.
However, Asiedu Nketia stressed that as a sitting Minister in the current administration, Sam George must adopt a more responsible tone in public discourse, especially on sensitive national issues like electoral violence.
The rerun ended with a historic win for the NDC’s Ewurabena Aubynn, who polled 34,090 votes to defeat the NPP’s Nana Akua Afriyie. It marked the NDC’s first victory in the constituency in more than two decades.
Asiedu Nketia condemns Sam George and others for endorsing violence in the Ablekuma North rerun#UTVGhana pic.twitter.com/ep5e1m8zis
— UTV Ghana (@utvghana) July 18, 2025
