The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, thinks the Bank of Ghana (BoG) governor’s response to protestors at the #OccupyBoG demo is uncalled for, and a statement against the fundamental human rights of the people.
His comments come on the back of the governor, Dr. Ernest Addison, referring to the demonstrators at the event as “hooligans.”
Just as it is happening in other countries, Mr. Okudzeto Ablakwa has reminded Dr. Addison that governments are not immune to accountability, and he cannot go freely without accounting for his “crimes and atrocities” as chief administrator of Ghana’s central bank.
He, during his contribution on the KeyPoints Saturday, October 7, 2023, mentioned a couple of jurisdictions where previous or sitting governors have faced accountability and are bearing the fruits of their stewardship.
“In other jurisdictions, bad governance have been dealt with or are being dealt with. Government shouldn’t think that they are immune from accountability.
“Go to Nigeria, next door, their former central governor is in detention, he is being prosecuted for all kinds of crimes. Go to Lebanon, the Lebanese governor thought he could divert $300 million into his personal account, he had been found out, as we speak the international community has blacklisted him, he cannot travel to the US, he cannot travel to Canada he cannot travel to the UK, his assets are being frozen, –the former governor of the Lebanon central bank. Go to Slovakia, the former governor has been indicted, he has been prosecuted and convicted… So if you look at what has happened in the international space this year alone, this governor should not think that he can get away with his crimes and all the atrocities, the pain that he has caused Ghanaians, the destruction of lives, he will not get away with it,” the MP indicated.
He further condemned the description that the governor gave to the demonstrators as hooligans, saying the right to demonstrate is enshrined in the constitution of the Republic, and there are many means people can register their displeasure on issues to the government.
“…And he rather, is calling them (protestors at the #OccupyBoG) hooligans. The right to demonstrate is a constitutional right, it’s guaranteed. I can decide to demonstrate or I want to sign signatures or I want to picket or I want to do a sit down strike. These are all democratic tools –public manifestations that I am entitled to. It is not for anybody to look at us, thousands of demonstrators, –you even forget about the NDC MPs and say you hate us because you don’t belong to our party, –the thousands who showed up for this demonstration who are victims of your abysmal performance, why are you insulting them, why are you calling them hooligans? I mean how dare you?” he fumed.
Some members of the public joined the Arise Ghana group and the Minority in Parliament to demonstrate against the continuous stay in office of the governor of the Bank of Ghana and his two deputies.
They demanded their resignation for what they described as mismanagement of the bank leaving it on the verge of collapse.
After a procession to the premises of the BoG by the group, the governor, whom they intended handing their petition to, delegated his head of security to receive it on his behalf.
But the Minority felt disrespected by the governor’s act. Dr. Ernest Addison, later, through an interview on an international online portal said neither him nor his deputies were going to resign, and described the protest as a “completely unnecessary” venture undertaken by “hooligans.”
