Governance Lecturer, Dr. Benjamin Otchere-Ankrah has reprimanded the organizers of the upcoming June 4th protest; Captain Smart, Okatakyie Afrifa and Convener of the FixtheCountry Movement, Oliver Barker-Vormawor over their demands to the Police.
The organizers, in a letter, demanded that they should be allowed to arm themselves and use the services of a private security as well as deliver a State of the Nation Address.
“We will bring our own security company to provide protection to demonstrators. All weapons held by demonstrators or by the contracted security personal will be for personal protection only; and all weapons will be duly permitted in accordance with the Arms and Ammunitions Act, 1972 (NRCD 9) e) Proposed route and destination: We expect that the Demonstrators will gather at Circle.”
“The procession will move from Circle to the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, where the Protestors will make a demand a slot on GTV to speak directly to the Nation and lay out our grievances, in accordance with Article 55(11), which guarantees fair opportunity to Ghanaians to present their programmes to the public through equal access to the state-owned media,” the letter said.
Contributing to Peace FM’s “Kokrokoo”, Dr. Benjamin Otchere-Ankrah was alarmed by the organizers’ audacity to write such things to the Police.
“Who gave them that audacity?” he asked, stressing “the fact that you have the freedom of speech does not mean you can say anything at all”.
To him, the organizers’ request indicates “they want to bring about chaos”.
“Where are we heading towards? I don’t understand some things. They should have thought about this deeply. What informed their decision and that kind of request? That they want to go and occupy the national Television and address the nation; how many people are able to address the nation? They think we are joking in this country”, he further rebuked the organizers.
He called on Ghana Police and National Security operatives not to entertain them.
Source: Peacefmonline
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