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A former Colonel in the Ghana Armed Forces says Hawa Koomson's act has embarrassed President Akufo-Addo.

Col. Festus Aboagye (rtd) says the act must not be overlooked and treated lightly especially in an election year.

Special Development Initiatives Minister, who doubles as Awutu Senya East MP, Mavis Hawa Koomson admitted to firing gunshots at a voters' registration centre in her Constituency.

She justified her action saying her safety was threatened.

"I’m a Member of Parliament, I need to protect myself. It was at dawn, my police escort had not started work yet. So that is a mechanism I have adopted in his absence," she admitted.

Nonetheless, her action has generated heavy flak and calls for her resignation.

Col. Festus Aboagye (rtd) speaking in an interview on Citi Eyewitness news Tuesday suggested that the MPs action is a slap on the Vigilante Act; 999.

"I disagree with anyone who will say this is a petty case . . . this is not a simple case, this case goes to the heart of Acts 999 (Vigilante Act) and given the situation we find ourselves; somehow we are descending into chaos and the level of political violence is becoming rampant. Her action disrupted the whole registration process . . . we cannot treat this case lightly," he averred.

Police Arrest

The former military officer said unlike the privileges and immunity that Members of Parliament enjoy, the police could have arrested Madam Hawa Koomson on the crime scene (where the gunshots were fired) instead of waiting for a go-ahead from the Speaker of Parliament.

He, however, hopes the Speaker, Prof Mike Ocquaye "will grant access to the MP" adding MPs "must be equal before the law despite the privileges and must make themselves available in cases like this".