Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has disclosed that the Ghana Police Service cited as part of their reasons in court, that the #OccupyBoG protest was a potential trigger for a coup détat.
He says the police told the court to stop the demonstration because they anticipated the protestors could be unleashing violence which could destabilize the country.
Mr. Okudzeto Ablakwa, speaking on the KeyPoints Saturday, October 7, 2023, said some of the reasons the police cited in their suit were ridiculous.
“If you read some of the reasons the police cited in court, very ridiculous reasons, that the demonstration will be violent, they potentially can do a coup, all kinds of ridiculousness and that the court should stop us from embarking on that demonstration,” he indicated.
Meanwhile, the lawmaker commended the protestors for being peaceful during the entire period of the demonstration.
“We have served notice many weeks ago, remember all the attempts to frustrate us and I must commend the demonstrators for being so peaceful,” he hailed.
The Minority in Parliament protested the performance of the governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr. Ernest Addison, demanding his resignation with his two deputies.
On October 3, 2023, the Minority was joined by the Arise Ghana Group, the NDC and other groups with some Ghanaians at the precincts of the BoG from the Obra Spot at the Kwame Nkrumah interchange to present a petition to the governor.
But the governor whom the demonstrators pledged to present their petition to, was out of sight.
But the Governor delegated Wing Commander (rtd) Kwame Asare Boateng, the Head of Security at the Bank of Ghana, to receive the petition on his behalf.
Dr Addison and his two deputies – Dr Maxwell Opoku-Afari and Elsie Addo Awadzi – were said to be in a meeting with officials of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
“We were informed that you were coming to present a petition to the Governor but the three governors are currently meeting the IMF and there is nobody there,” WC (rtd) Asare Boateng told leaders of the protest.
“So, the Governor has asked that I meet you and take the petition,” he noted.
This did not go down well with Minority who pledged to return to the streets in the near future to march again for the governors resignation.
The Minority Leader, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, felt “disrespected” by the gesture.
“First, let me say that I feel very disrespected as the leader of the opposition in Parliament for a simple reason that we demanded to present a petition to the Governor of the central bank of the Republic of Ghana otherwise known as the Bank of Ghana.
“The Governor has two deputies namely Deputy 1 and Deputy 2.
“Unfortunately, he has decided to disrespect us and the two deputies have also decided to disrespect us,” he lamented.
He later served notice they will come back and will not relent in demanding the resignation of the three.
“We will come back again,” he said.
He later added: “Until we see him, we are not stopping. This is just the beginning.”
source: onuaonline.com
