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A pro-opposition group, OPERATION 40% For NPP In Volta, has accused the ruling party of masterminding the disruption of a planned familiarization tour of the Volta Region by the Vice Presidential candidate of New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.

The group described as BARBARIC, HEARTLESS AND CRIMINAL, the prevention of Dr Bawumia from addressing students of the Ho Polytechnic and Akatsi College of Education by some protestors.

A planned lecture by the 2016 NPP Running mate was truncated after he was reportedly forced out of the Volta region by some youth in the area.

The angry youth bared their teeth at him by preventing him from making any public speeches during his visit to the two institutions in the Volta region.

The protestors were seen wielding placards and chanting angrily on the Akatsico campus where he was expected to deliver a public lecture. A similar fate befell the politician when he visited the Ho polytechnic to deliver a lecture on the impact of the IMF bailout on the Ghanaian economy at the school as part of his tour of the Volta region.

“Residents, mainly young people blocked out his attempts to speak amidst brassband music, motor bike displays and jamma chants to prevent Dr. Bawumia from infecting the public with his lies,“ witnesses recount.

The NPP stalwart had no choice but to slip out of the town.

It is unclear whether the protest was retaliation to a recent incident that occurred in the Ashanti region where some government appointees including Hon Okudzeto Ablakwa, Deputy Minister in charge of Tertiary Education and Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Dep Minister for Communications were heckled by teacher trainees in Kumasi.

But the Operation 40% For NPP In Volta group, in a statement issued hours after the incident, condemned the act saying it was against Ghana’s democratic principles which could even result in raising tribal tension between Voltarians and Northerners.

The group further accused the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) of being behind the action by the youth in the area.

“...we are again shocked and sad at what they tried doing just to tarnish the good image of we, the Voltarians, through this devilish act against humanity by making it look as if all VOLTARIANS were behind it while it wasn't so but some hired criminals from outside VOLTA REGION by the NDC....Weren't the NDC aware of some of the CONSEQUENCES of this evil agenda of theirs against VOLTARIANS if it had gone through as they planned?...Does the NDC know the tribal tension that could have arisen between VOLTARIANS AND NORTHERNERS, if this evil agenda of theirs had gone through?...We, as a group therefore see it as BARBARIC, HEARTLESS AND CRIMINAL just as we initially framed the whole act at the beginning of this article,” the group said.

Read the full statement below...