Ellen Ama Daaku, a Communications Team member of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), is questioning participants of the Democracy Hub protest, why they pulled down billboards and paraphernalia of the NPP.
Despite admitting that the protestors have the right to embark on a demonstration to make their demands from the government, Daaku said she sees no reason why they added the NPP to their agenda.
She explained that the party’s Youth Organiser reported the matter to the police that the NPP’s properties were destroyed, leading to the arrest and detainment of the protestors.
Speaking on the BigIssue on TV3’s NewDay Thursday, September 26, 2024, Madam Daaku said the NPP after reporting the matter to the police have left everything to them to handle.
“It looks like these people decided to go on a demonstration against galamsey which is their right to do but decided to also tear down the paraphernalia of the NPP and so our Youth Organiser and other few people actually did tell the police that if you’re doing your demonstration, do your demonstration but the fact that we put up our billboards and it’s election year and you pull down our billboards, what has the NPP as a party done to you?” she quizzed.
“For us, we have left it with the police to deal with it,” she added.
The Communications Team Member also commended the police for how they handled the demonstrators.
She explained that previous demonstrations in the country have seen worse reactions from the police than what was meted out to the Democracy Hub demonstrators.
READ ALSO: ‘The police did very well’ – NPP Comms team member on treatment to Democracy Hub protestors
Her comments follow the arrest of some protestors who said the government needed to sit up and stop galamsey to avert the destruction of water bodies and forest reserves.
Government has abandoned the fight against galamsey leaving citizens to stage a protest to draw its attention to the menace which has caused widespread environmental destruction in the country.
Civil advocacy group Democracy Hub, organised a three-day protest against the government which escalated into a clash with the police leading to the arrest of protestors, including a minor, 10-year-old, amid growing unrest over illegal mining and economic hardship.
Many have criticised the police for the manner with which they handled the protestors, with private legal practitioner, Martin Luther Kpebu, calling for the resignation of the IGP.
But, the spokesperson for the Ghana Police Service, Grace Ansah-Akrofi, indicated after the arrests that, the police picked up the demonstrators because their assembly was unlawful, and the officers’ attempt to maintain order caused the clash between them.
“The demonstrators engaged in acts of lawlessness, damaging state property and obstructing traffic,” Ansah-Akrofi told the media, adding that “they disrupted the peace. Those responsible will face justice.”
Meanwhile, the suspects have been detained into custody for two more weeks, something many have condemned and described as out of place.
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