The Member of Parliament for Atwima Nwabiagya South, Emmanuel Agyei Anhwere, has refuted claims that he was chased away by angry constituents in the aftermath of a resident’s death.
A video that has gone viral shows the MP being whisked away by the police from being attacked by an angry mob during a visit to his constituency.
The angry mob slammed the MP after the body of a 57-year-old man, John Kwame Asumang, who drowned following Wednesday’s downpour was recovered.
The deceased is said to have drowned after crossing a bridge during the rains.
Residents attributed his death to the poor state of roads and a broken bridge in the area.
Rejecting claims of being mobbed during an interview, Emmanuel Agyei Anhwere, clarified that he was rather hooted at by his constituents and not chased away as reported in media circles describing such claims as misleading.
He appreciated the concerns of his angry constituents and expressed sympathies to the bereaved family.
The legislator admitted the bridge has become unmotorable.
“The story is misleading, I wasn’t chased away, I didn’t go there to commiserate with the family, even though I had planned to do that at another time. The Divisional Police Commander ACP Joe Owusu called me on my phone and informed me that there had been some agitations at the bridge as a result of the death of a motor rider, who intended crossing to go and do his business, so they won’t allow anyone to cross, so I should go over”.
He further recounted, “When I went there, policemen were there, the Commander and his officers were 10 in number, just to have a discussion as to how best we can solve the issue. When it rains, the place gets flooded, they can’t use it, the bridge is not passable, and the unfortunate happened. I wasn’t chased away, though when I went there, the residents started massing up. They hooted at me. I do appreciate their concerns, in view of the fact that it involves the loss of life. I wasn’t chased away or pelted with stones. The police escorted me to my car and I drove away”.
He admitted that there was a splash of water but denied the stone was pelted at him.
“I saw a splash of water, I saw an object fall into the water, but I cannot say it was targeted at me or not,” he further clarified.
He said all efforts to get the bridge fixed proved futile.