Last-minute court action against Arise Ghana’s planned demo won’t stop us – Opare Addo

The Youth Wing of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has raised concerns against the court action instituted against the planned demonstration by pressure group, Arise Ghana.

A statement issued by the National Youth Organiser of the NDC, George Opare Addo said the reasons stated in the Police statement for seeking restraining order from the Court, on the face of available facts, are only smokescreen choreographed to deny over burdened and suffering Ghanaians from venting their frustrations about corruption in the Akufo Addo/Bawumia government.

“While the Inspector General of Police, Dr George Akuffo Dampare enjoyed the goodwill of Ghanaians when he was appointed, and exhibited traits of an upright officer ready to honour the tenets of his profession, he has  turned out to be a puppet of a corrupt regime. Annoyingly, the IGP, without mincing words, has carved an unenviable niche for himself as someone comically interested in protecting a gang of thieves in government rather than the very poor people whose taxes he is feeding on.

“A trivial issue as the scheduled time for the Arise Ghana demonstration could have been settled with organizers without necessarily resorting to a last minute crude tactics to frustrate the organizers. Indeed, the organizers, from media reports, have so far cooperated with the Police and had even acquiesced to demands by the Police to change the scheduled time to a proposed one by the Police. If the Police had a change of mind on the agreed time with the organizers, what prevented the IGP or his lawful assigns from re-engaging the organizers to find a middle ground?

“More so, on what account did the Police  changed it’s mind in the last minute to break ranks with the organizers? This unholy behaviour by the Dampare-led Police administration speaks to one undeniable fact – that the Police hierarchy, against the wishes of some of its junior officers, have sworn to fight any well-meaning Ghanaian who dares question the wanton dissipation of scarce resources by the reckless Akufo Addo/Bawumia government.

“We would not be surprised that the Police hierarchy have taken up this unpatriotic hatchet job because they are accomplice in the unreasonable raping of our dear country. A protest such as the Arise Ghana demonstration should and must be embraced by every Ghanaian who wishes this country well. The only adversaries would be the criminals in government looting the State, and sadly, the Police hierarchy appears to have gleefully joined them as their protective cover.

“If the Akufo Addo/Bawumia government has performed to the satisfaction of all, why would it be remote-controlling the IGP to block a peaceful street protest? History has it that failed governments, like the Akufo Addo/Bawumia government, always resort to weakening of otherwise independent State institutions in order to have a field day to steal without anyone raising a winker. We can assure the Akufo Addo/Bawumia government that the IGP and his cohorts may be in bed with them today, but the day of reckoning where the Ghanaian people would say ‘enough is enough’ is now here with us.

“We urge organizers of the Arise Ghana demonstration not to be unsettled by this cowardice tactics by the Police and government. The resolve by all young people of our Country is that the Akufo Addo/Bawumia government has lost track on its promised deliverables and must be kicked out.  We stand in solidarity with the organizers and would lend all support where necessary to ensure Ghanaians rise in unison against this tyrannical government,” a statement issued by Opare Addo said.

The Police filed a case in court against their action due to a disagreement on the time frame and also the location.

The Police explained in a statement issued on Sunday June 26 that in the interest of Public Order and safety, they entreated the organizers to reconsider the time frame and start the demonstration early in the day and end before night falls.

But “Due to the lack of agreement between the Police and the organizers on the time for demonstration and location for their planned picketing, the Police have had no option but to submit the process to the court for a determination. This was duly communicated to Arise Ghana in a letter on June 20, 2022.

The case has since been filed at the court and hearing is scheduled for tomorrow Monday June 27, 2022.

The group’s planned to started the the series of demonstration on 28th June, 2022, starting from the Kwame Nkrumah Circle Interchange/ Obra Spot and end at the frontage of the seat of government.

“We shall move through the Nima Police Station street to the Arko-Agyei inter-change and end at the Frontage of the Jubilee House where we will picket until 10PM,” a statement issued by the group earlier said.

Source: 3news.com|Ghana