Police Agree To Provide Required Security For BoG Protest

The Ghana Police Service is satisfied with the changes in route for the Minority’s protest against the Bank of Ghana (BoG) as it has agreed to provide requisite security.

In a letter to the Minority Leader in Parliament, Cassiel Ato Forson in response to a notice about reforms in the demonstration, the Accra Regional Police Command said it will “provide the required security for the demonstration in line with the Public Order Act 1994 (ACT 491).”

The Minority on Monday altered the date and route for their planned protest against top officials of the country’s Central Bank.

After a contention with the police over the route, the Minority in Parliament says it decided to change its route after a meeting on Monday.

It has been rescheduled to October 3, 2023, between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Protesters will converge at Obra Spot, march through Adabraka, Ridge Roundabout, National Theatre Traffic Light, High Court Complex Traffic Light, Atta Mills Highway and then end at Independence Square.

The police in agreeing to provide security for the protest urged organisers to abide by the route and uphold conduct that will promote peace during the protest.

The Minority plans to register its displeasure at the Central Bank’s alleged illegal printing of about GH¢ 80 billion between 2021 and 2022 which it says contributed to an inflation rate of 54.1% in December 2022.

Background
Initially, the Minority set September 5 for the demonstration.

As a route, it decided to converge at Parliament, march through Osu Cemetery Traffic Light – Ministry of Finance – High Court Complex – Kinbu – Makola – Rawlings Park to Opera Square and the Bank of Ghana to present their petition.

The route was opposed by the Ghana Police Service who suggested they begin at Obra Spot, march through Circle – Adabraka road building to the City Centre – Cedi House to Independence Square. This, the police said, was to guarantee the interest of public order, public safety and the running of essential services.

Following failed attempts to convince the organisers, the police dragged the Minority to court and secured an interlocutory injunction against the protest.

The court was scheduled to rule on the case on September 4, however, a preliminary legal objections raised by the lawyers for the Minority forced the Court to adjourn to September 8. This also compelled the Minority to reschedule their protest from September 5 to September 12.

On September 8, the court adjourned the ruling to September 18 due to an error in the police’s application.