The Minority in Parliament has decided to reschedule its #OccupyBoG protest, which was originally planned for Tuesday, September 5, to Tuesday, September 12, 2023.
In a press statement signed by Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, the NDC MPs, affirmed their commitment to holding the protest despite the postponement.
The reason behind the rescheduling is the adjournment of the court’s ruling on the police’s injunction application, which was filed to prevent their protest. The court has scheduled the ruling for Friday, September 8.
The purpose of the protest is to demand the resignation of Governor Ernest Addison and his two deputies due to what the Minority describes as their mismanagement of the Central Bank. They cite substantial financial losses, illegal printing of currency, and extravagant expenditures like the construction of a new head office as key reasons for their call for resignation.
The Minority Caucus emphasized that they would not change their planned route for the protest, maintaining their intention to march from Makola, through Rawlings Park and Opera Square, to the Bank of Ghana head office in Accra.
The initial protest, scheduled for September 5, faced opposition from the Ghana Police Service, which cited concerns about overcrowding, traffic disruption, public order, and safety along the proposed route. The police proposed an alternative route from Parliament House through the Osu Cemetery Traffic Light to Independence Square, a proposal that the Minority rejected.
During today’s court hearing, the NDC MPs, represented by Godwin Edudzi Tamakloe, argued that the police lacked the authority to propose alternative routes. They cited Article 88(5) of the 1992 Constitution and the State Proceedings Act, asserting that only the Attorney General has the power to initiate such actions.
The court has set Friday, September 8, as the date for its ruling on the Greater Accra Regional Police Command’s injunction application.
Despite the postponement, the Minority remains determined to hold the protest on Tuesday, September 12, 2023.
