Seven arrested after violence disrupts NPP constituency elections in Ashanti Region

Seven people have been arrested after a group of men disrupted the New Patriotic Party's (NPP) constituency executive elections at Wiamoase in Ghana's Ashanti Region, police have said.

The suspects, including the alleged ringleader, were arrested after a violent incident at the SDA Church polling station on Sunday morning, where party delegates had gathered to elect constituency executives.

According to the Ashanti North Regional Police Command, a group of about 30 men stormed the polling centre at around 07:45 GMT.

Police say the group, led by 43-year-old Kwame Afrifa Mensah, became confrontational when officers questioned why they were at the venue. The men allegedly attacked security personnel and threw election materials onto the ground, temporarily disrupting the voting process.

Officers arrested Mr Afrifa Mensah and six other suspects at the scene, while the remaining members of the group fled. Police say efforts are underway to trace and arrest the other suspects.

Preliminary investigations indicate that Mr Afrifa Mensah claimed some of his supporters had been excluded from the electoral process and said he had secured an interlocutory injunction to stop the election.

However, police said neither they nor the Electoral Commission had received any court order directing that the election be suspended.

Security was reinforced at the polling station following the disturbance, allowing voting to resume. The election was completed peacefully later in the day, and the Electoral Commission declared the results.

Police said Mr Afrifa Mensah and another suspect, 44-year-old Osman Awuni, later complained of ill health and were admitted to Mampong Government Hospital. Both remain under police guard while receiving treatment.

The incident comes as the NPP continues constituency executive elections nationwide. The party has said the exercise has been largely peaceful, with 245 of its 276 constituencies completing the process successfully.

The Afigya Sekyere East constituency had previously been identified by the party's National Steering Committee as one of four constituencies requiring special attention because of election-related disputes.

Police say investigations are continuing and that further arrests are expected.