The Chief Executive Officer of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA), Malik Basintale, has stirred political tension with a bold declaration on the campaign trail ahead of the parliamentary election rerun in Ablekuma North.
Speaking at a mini rally on Wednesday, Basintale, who is a leading member of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), stated emphatically that his team would not tolerate any interference or provocation from the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) during the rerun slated for Friday, July 12.
“I will be here on Friday, and if by any means we hear ‘kɛ’ from the NPP, they’ll hear from us,” he warned, drawing loud cheers from the crowd.
The use of the Ga expression “kɛ” loosely interpreted as a dismissive sound implying disrespect or provocation was perceived by many as a metaphor for any attempts at vote tampering or electoral misconduct.
The rerun in 19 polling stations within the Ablekuma North Constituency follows a directive from the Electoral Commission after irregularities were detected in parts of the December 2024 parliamentary elections. The outcome of the rerun could significantly affect the final results in the hotly contested constituency.
Mixed Reactions
Basintale’s comments have sparked mixed reactions across the political divide. Supporters of the NDC have praised him for showing strength and determination in protecting the integrity of the vote, especially in what they believe is a stronghold being fiercely contested.
However, critics particularly from the NPP and some civil society observers have expressed concern over the tone of the statement, especially coming from a public official holding a national post.
“We must be careful about the language we use, especially ahead of sensitive elections,” one political analyst noted. “Incendiary comments can easily escalate tensions at the polling stations.”
Security Measures in Place
The Ghana Police Service has confirmed that adequate security personnel will be deployed to all 19 polling stations involved in Friday’s rerun. Both the Electoral Commission and the National Peace Council have called for calm, urging political actors to conduct themselves in a manner that upholds Ghana’s democratic values.
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