Arise Ghana Movement has revealed that it is appalled by the persistent threat of the Ghana Police Service to arrest leaders of the movement, following the violence which characterised its demonstration and face-off with the police.
According to the leaders of the group, it is obvious that this “current uninspiring and disappointing” Akufo-Addo government would stop at nothing to try to use the Ghana Police Service in any way possible to “court public disaffection” for Arise Ghana.
Contained in a statement signed by a leading member of the group, Rex Omar, it indicated that the decision by the Ghana Police Service to premise “this intended public education, on our recent demonstration is disingenuous and a deliberate attempt to smear the image of Arise Ghana”.
“We are appalled by persistent threats of the Ghana Police Service to arrest the leaders of Arise Ghana when it is the Dampare-led Ghana Police Service that should face the law for abandoning their professional ethics in favour of their masked paymasters.”
Arise Ghana Movement
Describing itself as a “law-abiding pressure group”, Arise Ghana maintained that it strictly adhered to all the relevant provisions of the Public Order Act in its organization of the “historic” two-day demonstration held on 28th and 29th June, 2022. It emphasized that the violence at the Obra Spot was rather initiated by the police.
“We maintain that the sad and barbaric events of Tuesday 28th June, 2022 were instigated by the Ghana Police Service after failed attempts to scuttle and stop the ‘Krom Aye Shi’ Demonstration. Neither the demonstrators nor the leadership of Arise Ghana are culpable of any breach of the Public Order Act.”
Arise Ghana Movement
Arise Ghana Movement remain fearless
The pressure group highlighted that its members will continue to “fearlessly and relentlessly” champion the interest of Ghanaians.
“We remain unfazed and unshakable in our resolve to fearlessly and relentlessly champion the interest of the Ghanaian people through advocacy and constant nationalistic manifestations.”
Arise Ghana Movement
It will be recalled that chaos, stone pelting and the firing of tear gas marred the first day of the intended peaceful protest by Arise Ghana Movement to drum home its displeasure at government policies and the high cost of living.
The police clashed with the protestors over a stalemate on the route the latter should use. While the protestors insisted on using the Ring Road Central to picket at the Jubilee House, the police beckoned the demonstrators to march to the Black Star Square through the Kwame Nkrumah Avenue, where a team of policemen were waiting to coordinate the demonstration.
The protestors headed towards the Ring Road Central, while the police stood their ground and insisted that the protestors use the court-approved route, which protestors ignored.
A statement signed by the Director of Public Affairs of the Ghana Police Service, Chief Superintendent Grace Ansah-Akrofi, stated that in the process of ensuring compliance, 12 policemen sustained varying degrees of injury, while some of the demonstrators were also picked up by the police.
Notable figures at the demonstration included the National Chairman of the NDC, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, the NDC General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, a leading member of the People’s National Convention (PNC), Bernard Mornah, the National Communications Officer of the NDC, Sammy Gyamfi, and the National Organiser of the NDC, Joseph Akamba.
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