The Inspector-General of Police, COP James Oppong-Boanuh has cautioned individuals and groups who embark on demonstrations to desist from blocking roads as part of their protests.
He said police will prosecute individuals or groups who fail to adhere to designated routes mapped out during their protests.
Delivering the keynote address at the commissioning of the newly constructed Akropong Police Headquarters which was constructed by the Church of Pentecost, COP Oppong-Boanuh said the command is ready to deal with trouble makers in this election year.
“Let me also repeat that any group of persons who are planning to foment trouble before, during or after the elections should think twice because we will be ready for them because we know that citizens have rights but the rights must be exercised in accordance with the law.”
“You have the right to demonstrate but you have no rights to block the roads preventing other users from using it. That is why we sit down with organizers of demonstrations to map up the route so if we give you route A, we expect that you follow route A but if you decide to use route B and you create a problem for us we will make sure we will meet you in court”.
He also assured that the police will be transparent and fair in their dealings.
“We can only get the support that we require most from the public to perform our duty if we are seen to be transparent, if we are seen not to engage in corruption, if we are seen to encourage the public we are working with to support us and we can only do this if they see us as not trying to enrich ourselves but trying to do our work for the common good for the ordinary citizen of the country”.