Tamale Central Member of Parliament (MP), Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, has accused the government of orchestrating the mayhem unleashed on the #OccupyJulorbiHouse protestors by the police last week.
He took a swipe at President Nana Addo Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for the attack and arrest of the protestors on day one of their demonstration.
In an interview on The Big Issue on Citi TV, hosted by Selorm Adonoo, the MP alleged, “This is not the first time citizens of this country have demonstrated, wanting to protest at the seat of government. Under the NDC, they picketed at the Flagstaff House [Jubilee House] under NDC in 2016. But, under the NPP government, people were not even allowed to go beyond 37 Military hospital. That tells you the difference between NPP and NDC.”
“Everything that happened was perpetuated not just by the police, but by the government. President Nana Akufo-Addo’s prominence in Ghanaian politics was one of the contributing factors. He had a desire to participate in demonstrations. Many of us got to know President Nana Addo through demonstrations. Kumepreko, people even lost their lives. If you [President Akufo-Addo] have been a beneficiary of demonstrations, why would you seek to prevent others from going through that same route”.
He said the actions by the police have dented the image of the country, describing the brutalities as “embarrassing.”
“What the police did for me was embarrassing globally, the democracy of Ghana is showcased in the entire global community. What would have happened if the police had allowed them to go ahead with the demonstration? It’s extremely worrying for me, as a lover of democracy,” he asserted.
The police, on Wednesday, September 20, filed an injunction application against the protest organized by a group called the Democracy Hub.
The group leaders in response insisted on going ahead with the protest, but the police on Thursday, September 21, stopped them from massing up at Jubilee House.
49 members of Democracy Hub including a BBC journalist and his cameraman were arrested, while Metro TV’s Bridget Otoo was also roughed up by the police on Thursday.
Undeterred, the group continued their protest on Friday and Saturday, but the police blocked their attempts to march to the Jubilee House.