The organizers of FixTheCountry movement have intimated that if the Police are left to handle the crowd at a protest like the FixTheCountry demonstration, it will lead to clashes between the Police and the protestors.
Speaking about their upcoming demonstration dubbed ‘Yabre Mo Yentua’ set to take place on Friday, November 26, 2021, convener of the FixTheCountry movement, Oliver Barker Vormawo, stated that the meeting was necessary because it is important for them to dialogue the Police for them to understand their role and place in the demonstration.
“When we leave the Police to handle the crowd at a protest, it leads to clashes between they and the protestors”.
He indicated that the organizers meeting with the Police Service over the upcoming demonstration which is set to take place is very important for some discussions to take place. Mr. Vormawo disclosed that the meeting among other things was to debate measures to curb violent clashes between Police and the protestors.
This, he said, comes after the movement issued a statement indicating that they have notified the law enforcement agency about their intention to hit the street.
“We have notified the Police as the law requires of what we want to do. Now the process is that, once that is done, we sit down with the Police to finalize the route arrangement and also the conduct of the Police towards we the protestors. One of the things we have always insisted in our engagement with crowd control is that we can do our own crowd control, we do not want the Police involved”.
Oliver Barker Vormawo
Demonstration to register movement’s displeasure
Oliver Barker Vormawo, stated that the demonstration is mainly to register their displeasure on the recent 2020 budget especially the 1.75% E-levy imposed on transactions.
“So, we are calling this ‘Yabre Mo, Yentua’ demonstration to reflect our tiredness and frustration about the political class that remains insensitive to the economic freedom of many Ghanaians”.
Oliver Barker Vormawo
Mr. Vormawo averred that there are some particular aspects of the budget which imposes higher taxes on the normal Ghanaian and do not provide a clear pathway for many people finding proper jobs to be integrated into our economy, which they find unfair.
“We are having the demonstration on Friday, November, 26, 2021 because Friday happens to be the day Parliament will be meeting to vote to accept the budget and we think that as citizens, we have to be represented in that conversation”.
Oliver Barker Vormawo
Ghana Police on FixTheCountry movement meeting
The Ghana Police Service on Friday, November 19, 2021 expressed its intent to meet convenors of the FixTheCountry Movement following its decision to protest on Friday, November 26, 2021.
According to the Police, the meeting with the Movement at the Greater Accra Regional Police Headquarters followed a letter signed by the Deputy Accra Regional Police Commander, DCOP E.A Sakyi to engage the movement on their planned protest.
This upcoming protest sequences a series of protests by the movement to make government aware of some of the issues facing the country. Their protests are also geared towards demanding accountability from the government on how to ensure development in the country.
