The Minority Caucus in Parliament and the National Democratic Congress, the organizers of the #OccupyBOGProtest, have threatened to host numerous protests if the Bank of Ghana (BOG) governor, Dr. Ernest Addison, and his deputies do not resign.
They announced this during the ongoing demonstration against what they perceive to be improper central bank management, which is being coordinated by several other groups and the Minority Members in Parliament (MPs).
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Mahama Ayariga, Francis-Xavier Sosu, Cletus Avoka, Clement Apaak, and Kwabena Mintah Akandoh are a few of the lawmakers who attended the demonstration.
There are also a number of National Executive officers of the party including, the National Chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, the General Secretary, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, the National Organizer, Joseph Yamin, the National Youth Organizer, George Opare Addo Esq. among others who are in attendance.
Honorable Clement Apaak, the Deputy Ranking Member on the Education Committee and the Member of Parliament for Builsa South noted that the losses incurred by the Bank of Ghana could have saved the education sector.
“We are here because we want a public expression of the disappointment by the management of the Bank of Ghana and with this we are calling on the Governor of the BOG to resign and he has failed to do so. And we think that we have to lead this prominent protest to tell Ghanaians of our dissatisfaction with the incompetence in the management of the BOG”.
Clement Apaak
The party’s Chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, also addressed the protestors in the early hours of the protest, stating: “If you allow a security zone to become a haven for criminals, then we have a right to declare that security zone a crime scene and we have a right to chase those criminals”.
Protesters Insist To Present It Petition To The Governor Of BOG
According to Mr Johson Nketia, the march to the Bank of Ghana is not to cause any destruction but to only send its petition to the central bank Governor who has been assigned to a mange the central bank and has failed abysmally.
“So we are going, we don’t want any fights but we are only enjoying our rights in this democratic country. But if we are trying to sack the people we pay who are still stealing from us then we will have to blame you the security personnel.”
Johson Asiedu Nketia
However, minority leader Cassiel Ato Forson has insisted that the leaders of the protest must be given access to the premises of the Bank of Ghana to present their petition.
“We will take a U-turn on the John Evans Atta Mills high street in front of the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum and when we get there we will cry for Kwame Nkrumah’s body to understand that the Ghana he left behind had been messed up. And when we get there demonstration will end there.
“But when we get there the leaders of the demonstration will have to be given the opportunity to present the petition to the governor himself, Addison the printer else we will not close the demonstration today. So we want the police service to be aware and prepare the Governor to receive the petition.”
Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson
The protestors are accusing Dr Addison and his deputies of gross mismanagement of the central bank, citing the over GHc60 billion loss by the BoG as the basis for their call for their resignation.
The protestors are marching from Obra Spot through Adabraka, Ridge roundabout, National Theatre traffic light, high court complex traffic light, and Atta Mills high street. They will then make a U-turn at the National Lottery traffic light and end the protest at Independence Square.
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