The leadership of the Minority caucus in parliament is resisting alternative routes provided by the police for their “Occupy BoG” protest to demand the resignation of the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr Ernest Addison and his two deputies.
The turn of events follows a meeting with the police on Wednesday, August 23.
The Deputy Minority Leader, Emmanuel Armah Kofi-Buah, while addressing the press after the meeting insisted that they will use their proposed routes for the demonstration on September 5.
The Minority in notifying the police of the protest proposed to start the demonstration from the frontage of Parliament.
They suggested using the following route: Osu Cemetery Traffic Light – Ministry of Finance – High Court Complex – Kinbu – Makola – Rawlings Park to Opera Square and to the Bank of Ghana to present their petition.
However, the police raised concerns about the selected routes noting that the routes may endanger public order and safety.
They also noted that they did not want the protest to obstruct traffic.
In this regard, the police suggested that the Minority converge at Obra Spot – Circle – Adabraka road building to the City Centre – Cedi House to Independence Square.
But the Deputy Minority Leader insisted that they would stand by their proposed routes for the demonstration, adding that their route is shorter than what the police is proposing.
“So far as we are concerned, the routes that we have proposed are the routes that we are going to use. The Police of course discussed alternatives but we insisted that the routes that we have proposed are the routes we are going to use. That is why we are saying that we haven’t accepted any alternative arrangement,” he maintained.
According to him, the Minority believes and has confidence in the police service since they have policed more complicated routes for demonstrations than what they have proposed.
He added that their routes should not alarm the police in anyway.
“The most strategic and important national security installation is the office of the President …If you can demonstrate up to the frontage of the Flagstaff House, how is it that you cannot march to the frontage of the Bank of Ghana – Head office building?” he asked.
