NDC Goons Storm Radio Station

FURIOUS SUPPORTERS of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Saturday evening besieged the premises of Kessben FM in Kumasi to interrupt a live radio programme in protest over what they considered to be an uneven representation of panelists. The violent supporters of the ruling party, who came in their numbers, did not understand why producers of �Democracy�, a political programme on Kessben FM, had put on the show, two members of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) against Rev. Charles Quansah, the NDC parliamentary candidate for Subin. Led by their Regional Youth Organizer, Kwaku Boahen, the NDC supporters demanded the withdrawal of Titus-Glover of the NPP from the talk show for allegedly being critical of the government. Although no property of the station was damaged during the violent confrontation, the hitherto peaceful premises of the radio station was thrown into confusion, forcing the host, Lawyer Ohene Djan, to take an impulsive commercial break. Nii Quaye Titus-Glover and Samuel Pynn, the Ashanti Regional Secretary of the NPP, were on the programme to represent their party against Koby Onasis and Rev. Charles Quansah of the NDC, but Onasis failed to turn up for the programme, Aku-Piesie, a producer of the programme stated. He said the NDC Youth Organizer, dashed into the studios of the radio station after calling to register his party�s displeasure about the alleged uneven empanelling of guests. Francis Dodovi and Aloka, both members of the NDC Communication team, also followed suit, the producer added. He narrated that Francis Dodovi, who doubles as the spokesperson for the Ashanti Regional Minister, began to make calls, and within minutes dozens of NDC supporters had besieged the premises of the radio station. According to Aku-Piesie, Dodovi fired the first salvo by raining insults on Titus-Glover over the latter�s criticism of the government, prompting a response from the NPP man. According to him, while the NDC supporters were forcing their way into the studio of the radio station after their leaders had entered, some supporters of the NPP also arrived to defend their officers. The situation could have degenerated into a disaster if not for the timely intervention of some personnel from the Buffalo Unit of the Ashanti Regional Police Command, said Akua-Piesie. But Francis Dodovi, in an interview with Hello FM, denied ever running into the studios of Kessben FM with irate supporters of NDC. He told his host King Edward that their siege at Kessben FM was only to protest against the unfair representation on the �Democracy� programme. In his view, this was their inalienable right as members of the ruling party, especially at this crucial time, with general elections only a few months away. However, Samuel Pynn dismissed the assertion of Francis Dodovi, indicating the NDC man was peddling falsehood. He insisted it was a well-calculated plan of the NDC to cause confusion in the region, and that last Saturday�s incident was only a tip of the iceberg. He admonished members of the NDC to desist from such actions as the nation heads towards a general election in December.