The Government’s spokesperson on Security and Governance, Palgrave Boakye-Danquah has advised the leadership of Arise Ghana to negotiate with the Ghana Police on their demonstration.
Speaking to Bonohene Baffuor Awuah on Ghana Kasa, Mr Boakye-Danquah opined the way and manner the group wants to embark on their demonstration and venue calls for worry.
He stated that if the group are well-meaning Ghanaians they should do their demonstration and present their petition.
Palgrave also alleged that “Some people want to destroy the moral fabric of our democracy and that is what it is. Some people don’t want us to have peace in this country.”
“How will you want to demonstrate at the Presidency which is a security installation of that nature. When you look around the sub-region the terrorist attacks and conflicts and you still want to have a demonstration of that nature. I don’t think that it sits very well.
“But, there are laws and the issue is currently in court for an interpretation. But it will be very unfair on the Ghana people that even as we are in court they will still say that they will do the demonstration in the manner in which they want to do it from 3:00 pm to 10:00 pm,” Mr Boakye-Danquah disclosed.
He continued: “I don’t think that we should be able to encourage these things. I don’t have an issue with the demonstration. I have been involved in demonstrations and seen demonstrations and everything. Sometimes, to be fair beyond the demonstration there is a negotiation that you need to come around and talk for mutual understanding.”
The Government Spokesperson added that some of the reasons the leaders of the demonstration have catalogued for the government are being done adding that governance is a process and not an event.
Meanwhile, the Criminal Division of the Accra High Court has partially granted an application from the Ghana Police Service to restrain and prohibit Arise Ghana from embarking on a demonstration which sought to end at 10 pm.
The police per the motion sought the court’s intervention not to allow the intended demonstration to enter into the night.
DSP Sylvester Asare made references to reports of terrorism in neighbouring country Togo to argue their case and wanted the demonstration to end at 3 pm.
Counsel for the Respondent (Arise Ghana) led by Godwin Edudzie Tamakloe argued that the police has not demonstrated how the Togo terrorism which took place in the afternoon comes to play in a demonstration which was to be held in Ghana at night.
The bone of contention between the Police and Arise Ghana which landed in court was the venue for the demonstration and the time it would be ending.
The court presided over by Justice Comfort Tasiame while partially granting the application said, the demonstrators should converge at Obra Spot through Farrisco Avenue to TUC and end at the Independent Square.
The court also said, the intended demonstration should start at 8 am and end at 4 pm.
The said petition the court said should be received by a representative of the President if any.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM
