The Chairman of the National Media Commission (NMC), Yaw Ayeboafo, has asserted that the Ghana Police Service cannot use the court to prevent people from demonstrating.
Once we practice democracy, we must understand that we should not condemn any democratic tool used in fighting the course of our rights. The people have the right to demonstrate and the government and the police must respect the free will of the citizen.
The police have arrested 49 members of the Democracy Hub group who participated in the Occupy Jubilee House protest on Thursday, September 21. According to a police statement, the suspects were arrested due to their disregard for a court order that sought to prohibit them from staging the protest in the vicinity of the Jubilee House.
According to him, individuals have the right to demonstrate under Ghana’s constitution and the law of the state.
Mr. Yaw Ayeboafo stated that the law also requires that, when you want to demonstrate, there’s a need to inform the police and there is the need to look at all the circumstances and if they think that it may not inure to the benefits of the country, they can take action.
Mr. Ayeboafo contends that the practice of the police seeking court orders to halt demonstrations is not the most appropriate approach.
Story by: Osei Akoto (Teacher Kojo) / Ahotoronline.com
