NPP’s statement on journalist attacks was not genuine – Amaliba

Member of the opposition National Democratic Congress legal team, Abraham Amaliba has discredited attempt by the ruling New Patriotic Party to condemn the assault on a journalist by NPP firebrand Hajia Fati.  In his view, the statement from the NPP was an “apology of an apology” which he said did not come voluntarily from the party. “This statement that came from the NPP  was actually forced out of them. It did not come voluntarily”, he  said. Hajia Fati reportedly assaulted a  journalist with the Multimedia Group, Ohemaa Sakyiwaa Awehenepa who works as a newscaster with Adom FM in Accra, on Friday, May 4, at the NPP headquarters where she was assigned to report on the picking of party’s nomination forms. The incident has angered a section of the public especially those within the media fraternity most of whom condemned the act and are demanding justice for the victim. The party issued a statement condemning the attacks and assuring journalists of their support in their line of duty, but Amaliba did not find the statement a demonstration of remorse. Contributing to discussions on TV3’s New Day, Wednesday, May 9, the legal practitioner claims the activities of Hajia Fati, which he described as notorious are widely known by many including the ruling NPP itself. He said that Hajia Fati is known for attacking people with all sort of weapons including knives and  thus wondered why the NPP continues to keep her in its headquarters, questioning if the party has rules and regulations governing the conduct of members at the headquarters. Mr. Amaliba was of the conviction that the attitude of Hajia Fati is one endorsed by the NPP in what he says is a “tacit concurrence” by the party. He dismissed allegations by Eric Amoako Twum, co-panelist from the NPP Communications team, that the NDC  also witnessed similar violent agitations at its party headquarters. Mr. Amaliba however admitted that  the NDC  has indeed had internal agitations in the past but he argued such agitations did not result in beating up a journalist. Amaliba wondered why the Hajia Fati was not put behind bars by the Ghana Police who are  reportedly investigating the matter. By editors.3news.com|Ghana