Viral videos being shared on social media claim that the convoy of Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia was blocked by irate youth and prevented from entering Dadieso in the Western Region.
In the videos being shared on WhatsApp platforms and other social media platforms (see this, this and this) some youth who appeared incensed are seen agitating, throwing bottles and hurling abuses. The videos also show the road being blocked.
Residents block Bawumia and his team from entering their town. Ghanaians are tired of the scam and numerous lies.
#Bawuliar #NppMustGo pic.twitter.com/olul3vKinM— Doh Kafui (Flagbearer) (@DohKafui1) May 5, 2024
Some of the narratives which accompanied the viral videos stated that “Asante Akim dadieso they block the road, they blocked it’s possible bus going to campaign [sic]”, “residents block Bawumia and his team from entering their town”, among others. Indeed, a bus in the convoy was branded with Dr. Bwumia’s campaign posters. Uniformed policemen were also seen in the video ostensibly trying to put the situation under control.
The viral videos have received many views and comments. One of the YouTube videos had over 10,000 views as of May 9 2024.
In a Facebook post on May 5, 2024, Bawumia’s spokesperson, Dr. Gideon Boako denied reports the vice president’s convoy was blocked by angry youth at Dadieso.
“I have seen a video in circulation with the narrative that some enraged youth blocked the Vice President’s convoy on the Nkawkaw-Kumasi highway on Saturday, 4th May. This narrative is a blatant falsehood. The Vice President did not even use that road during the entire week,” the post read in part.
Fact-check Ghana has looked into the claims and here’s what we know so far.
To verify what actually transpired at the scene on the day of the incident, the team contacted the Konongo Divisional Fire Commander, DO3 Joe Bryden via phone. He explained that on the morning of Friday, May 3, 2024, there was an accident on the road at Dadieso involving a gas tanker which fell on its side.
The tanker, DO3 Joe Bryden explained, was carrying about 24 tons of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) which posed a significant risk to the residents of the community.
Taking a cue from a fire incident in a neighbouring community in 2016 that resulted from a similar incident and that led to the death of many people, the residents were incensed by the delay in removing the gas tanker. After waiting for about 72 hours without the tanker being moved, the residents became even more frustrated leading to the agitation as witnessed in the videos.
According to DO3 Joe Bryden, the youth as part of the protest blocked the road and prevented vehicles from moving to and fro the community to attract attention that could bring a solution to the problem as soon as possible.
DO3 Joe Bryden disclosed that Dr Bawumia himself was not part of the convoy. He further explained that the team arrived at the scene just at the time of the blockage.
He said the convoy was not the target of the angry residents but any vehicle that plied the road at that point in time.
“It [Dr. Bawumia’s convoy] wasn’t the target. They just didn’t want anybody to pass. They wanted to cause that inconvenience. They thought authority had neglected them. About 80% of the town evacuated.
Nobody could set up a fire, nobody could cook, so they were also very inconvenienced. This caused them to take the law into their own hands and block the road.
Dr. Bawumia’s convoy just happened to come to meet what they were doing,” D03 Joe Bryden clarified.
The assemblyman for Asante Akim Praso electoral area, Kofi Taylor, who also witnessed the incident said the protest by the residents wouldn’t have happened if the taker had been cleared earlier.
He said the police had to resort to diplomacy to get the residents to back down on their protest and allow authorities to resolve the matter. Mr. Taylor assured that the tanker had been cleared and life has since returned to normalcy.
A teacher at Nnadieso M/A Primary School who identified himself only as Adu blamed the agitation on the seeming inaction of authorities when the accident occurred.
Therefore, claims that suggested the youth in Dadieso had blocked the road and prevented Dr Bawumia from entering the township for political reasons are inaccurate.
