In a fiery response to the recent unrest surrounding a protest meant to address the serious issue of illegal mining (galamsey), Dennis Miracles Aboagye, Director of Communications for the Bawumia Campaign, has expressed his deep frustration over what he sees as an intentional hijacking of a legitimate cause for narrow political gain.
In his remarks, Dennis Miracles Aboagye criticized what he referred to as “Agenda Boys” who, under the guise of advocacy, exploited a real national problem to further their own political agenda, leading to chaos and destruction in the capital city.
“They spin, twist, exaggerate and lie through their teeth to make state institutions look bad even in the face of the facts. There was No 60 + year old woman arrested. There was no child arrested. There was no pregnant woman arrested. Nobody was denied the right to protest”.
Dennis Miracles Aboagye, Director of Communications for the Bawumia Campaign
He stressed that the right to protest is a fundamental democratic privilege that should never be infringed upon.
However, the NPP Communicator pointed out that the problem did not stem from the peaceful protestors, but rather from what he described as “a few tens of hooligans” who hijacked the demonstration.
According to him, these individuals diverted the focus from the noble cause of fighting galamsey and resorted to violence, putting the safety of the entire country at risk.
“Facts, Not Spin”: Aboagye’s Take on the Protest
The New Patriotic Party Communicator laid out several key points he believes are the undisputed facts of the incident. He claimed that a small group of rioters, not peaceful protesters, escalated the situation by turning the protest violent, posing risks to public safety.
These individuals he argued hijacked a well-intentioned cause for their own political purposes, nearly derailing it, adding that some hooligans, under the guise of protesting, set fires and destroyed property without provocation.
“A few hooligans, under the guise of protest physically attacked our Police personnel without any proper cause. A Few Hooligans under the guise of protest, disrupted other citizens including the sick from going about their lives peacefully and even insulted them.
“A few hooligans told other innocent citizens that it’s okay for their loved ones to die cos there are plenty of animals in the country and it’s not a big deal if few should die from the blockage of the main route to the 37 hospital”.
Dennis Miracles Aboagye, Director of Communications for the Bawumia Campaign
The Director of Communications for the Bawumia Campaign also claimed that these protestors burned fires on major streets, causing unnecessary destruction of public property.
He pointed out the stark difference between these recent riots and past demonstrations organized by the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
According to him, the NDC has held several major protests in recent months without any clashes with the police. He noted the NDC had previously gone so far as to publicly commend the police for their professionalism during demonstrations.
“Strangely but not Surprising, each of the protests that these same hooligans have done, turned into a clash with the police. Any fair-minded person can draw the conclusion from the chaotic nature of these hooligans”.
Dennis Miracles Aboagye, Director of Communications for the Bawumia Campaign
Condemning Political Hijacking of the Fight Against Galamsey
Dennis Aboagye’s frustrations seem to stem from the sense that a critical national issue, the fight against illegal mining, is being politicized. He emphasized that illegal mining poses a “serious threat to the country’s survival” and called for unity in tackling the menace.
However, he warned that no one should be allowed to hijack this cause for “parochial political interests.”
Ending his remarks with a scathing rebuke, Dennis Miracles Aboagye made it clear that he supports protests and demonstrations when necessary, but he drew the line at violent demonstrations that destroy property and attack law enforcement.
He called out those responsible, stating, “Shame on you!” urging Ghanaians to focus on the real issues without allowing narrow political interests to derail the fight against illegal mining.
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