The Accra Regional Police Command has given the organisers of the much-anticipated civil protest against the Governor of the Bank of Ghana (BoG) the green light to go ahead with intended demonstration.
Additionally, in line with the public Act 1994 (Act 491), the Command had pledged its commitment to providing adequate security for the demonstration, which is expected to receive massive attendants.
The final decision of the police to consent to the planned demonstration to demand the resignation of the Governor was contained in a letter addressed to the Minority Leader, Dr. Ato Forson, by the Regional Commander, Dr. Sayibu Pabi Gariba.
He conveyed his sincerest gratitude to the leadership of the Minority in Parliament, civil society organisations, progressive forces, and other well-meaning Ghanaians for the honouring invitation.
“Pursuant to our earlier deliberations and in line with our mandate, the Accra Regional Police Command will provide the required security,” the letter read in part.
The police, however, reminded the organisers of the protest to keep to their stated route of Obra Spot-Adabraka-Ridge Roundabout-National Theatre Traffic Light, High Court Complex Traffic Light-Atta Mills Highway, and u-turn to Independent Square as indicated to the police.
Dr. Ato Forson and other leaders of the planned protest were further encouraged to take the necessary steps to ensure that there would be no breach of the peace.
The leadership of the protest was to further ensure that the demonstrators would conduct themselves in a peaceful manner before, during and after the demonstration.
The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) had earlier issued an ultimatum to the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr. Ernest Addison, and his lieutenants to vacate their posts after they allegedly supervised over the loss of GH¢60.8 billion.
The NDC posited that staggering loss of GH¢60.8 billion recorded by the Bank of Ghana was equivalent to $6 billion which is twice the amount sought from the IMF in the country’s recent bailout.
According to the NDC, Governor Addison and his collaborators within the government had not just been clueless, but unresponsive, insensitive and reckless in all their dealings which had worsen the plights of Ghanaians.
At a press briefing to give their verdict on the activities of BoG, Minority leader, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson asserted that the recklessness of Dr Addison and his traitors has unleashed economic hardship on Ghanaians.
He continued that the Governor and his deputies had perpetrated the highest order of impunity against the suffering masses, which could no longer be tolerated, because it would set a dangerous precedent
In his views: “Those who have by their reckless and criminal conduct unleashed economic hardship and financial distress on the suffering people of Ghana must be held to account.”
Call for the governor to resign or incurred their wrath
Dr. Ato Forson emphatically mentioned that the Central Bank had been terribly desecrated by the Governor, his deputies, and the government to a point that it had become bankrupt.
The Minority Leader, therefore, called for the resignation of the Governor within 21 days from yesterday, when the press briefing was held or face their wrath.
He said: “We are resolved to embark upon popular action to Occupy the Central Bank and drive out the team of inept, callous and criminal [bad] managers of the finances of this country and Save the Bank of Ghana.”
The march, which he indicated would ensure accountability, was, however, thwarted by a lot of bottlenecks, including an injunction order secured by the police to restrain protestors.
This led to a legal fuse between the police and the organisers of the civil protest until a determination was made by the court which described the action by the police as frivolous.
Following the court’s decision, the organisers, led by Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, had fixed Tuesday, October 3, as the new date for the demonstration.
