Boakye Agyarko, a presidential candidate for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has described a terrifying gunshot event from 1983 that almost cost him his life.
He claimed that as he was being taken hostage by several soldiers in the chaos of a coup attempt, he was shot six times, all of which exited through his back.
He claimed that the gunshot caused a serious injury to his back, leaving him with a scar that still exists today.
On Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen, the former Energy Minister discussed his horrific experience and political tribulations as he looked ahead to the NPP presidential primaries.
“I have been in the NPP tradition for 42 years. I was shot and nearly died because of politics and the NPP tradition.
“Aside from being a coordinator of the National Students Union, I was deeply involved in politics and criticised the military rule, which made me a target,” he said.
Mr. Agyarko claimed that although 48 other people were also shot on that tragic day, he miraculously survived and was even allowed to go after their remains were taken to the 37 Military Hospital.
“A nurse on duty at the time who gave me her name as Lily Tamakloe was the one who detected I was still alive. So she informed the doctors and I was immediately rushed for surgery. I was not put on any anaesthesia because the doctor told me that could have killed me,” he recounted.
Mr. Agyarko claimed that after over three months at the hospital, he was forced to leave the country on the advise of Dr. Akpaloo, a highly respected soldier surgeon.
“I had to undergo some surgeries in the US to ensure my full recovery and for two years, I was leaving but dead and from those experiences, I just learned to keep mute about certain things,” he noted.
