Police Drag Minority To Court Over BoG Demo Route

The police say they have filed an application in court to injunct the Minority in Parliament’s planned protest against the Governor of the Bank of Ghana (BoG), Dr Ernest Addison.

Their action was necessitated by failed attempts to agree on a route for their march to the headquarters of the Central Bank next week.

In a statement, the police said, they “have been left with no alternative but to seek legal recourse by approaching the court to determine the matter.”

This court action is deemed to be in the best interest of public safety.

The police hold that the proposed route by the minority may disrupt public order, public safety and the provision of essential services.

The Minority has scheduled a demonstration for Tuesday, September 5 to demand the resignation of top officials of the BoG over their roles in what it said is the illegal printing of about GH¢ 80 billion between 2021 and 2022 which contributed to an inflation rate of 54.1% in December 2022.

It said it would converge at Parliament, go through the Osu Cemetery Traffic Light, Ministry of Finance, High Court Complex, Kinbu, Makola, Rawlings Park to Opera Square and then the Bank of Ghana to present their petition.

But the police earlier suggested they rather converge at Obra Spot, march through Circle, the Adabraka road building to the City Centre, Cedi House to Independence Square.

In response to this in a letter to the Police on Monday, the Minority Leader, Cassiel Ato Forson disagreed and insisted on using their proposed routes.

“Your attempt to deny us an opportunity to terminate our #occupyBOG protest at the headquarters of the Bank of Ghana on the pretext that it is a “security zone” is untenable, troubling and unwholesome for the Ghana Police Service’s motto,” a part of the letter said and further questioned, “How is the Bank of Ghana headquarters designated by the Police as a security zone and the Cedi House, another Bank of Ghana edifice that the police propose that we march through not a security zone?”

He added, “Please prepare to honour your constitutional duty along the routes we have designated for the OccupyBoG protest on the date that we have informed the police and the good people of Ghana. You have reasonable notice and time to prepare.”