Court order or not, March 6 demo will come off – Group

One of the leaders of a group calling itself Concerned Ghanaians says the members will defy a high court order restraining them from embarking on a demonstration on Independence Day March 6, 2015.

Mr Ofei Dei Goodfellow told Starr FM in an interview that the group will not budge despite the court order, because they have not been served.

The Accra court on Monday, March 2, 2015 placed the restraining order on the planned demonstration which is intended to express the frustration of Ghanaians against the Mahama administration as far as the worsening power crisis is concerned. The Police filed an application with the court seeking to have the group comply with the public order Act.

According to the Accra Regional Police Command, it resorted to the court because its resources would have been stretched since they have to work and participate in the Independence Day celebration on Friday.

In a press release to the media, the Public Relations Officer at the Accra Regional Police Command ASP Effia Tenge said the restraining order was sought to suspend the protest of the group.

“This was upheld in an application filed by the Accra Regional Police Command for and on behalf of the Inspector General of Police on 17th February, 2015, which sought to change the date for the demonstration due to the Independence Day Celebration,” she stated.

Efforts by the Police to serve the group with the order, however, proved futile compelling the service to seek an order for substituted service.

“Unfortunately, all diligent efforts to reach and serve the organizers of the demonstration with the restraining order has proved futile leaving the police with no option than to apply for an order for substituted service,” the statement added.

The statement also added that the group has, therefore, been served with the court notice on the court notice board, through the media and “any known place of abode of any of the organisers”.

In response to the group’s obduracy despite the court order, ASP Tenge said: “That is their decision…they can go ahead.”

“If they think that is what lawful Ghanaian citizens have to do, they can go ahead,” she told Abena Owusu Nyamekye.

She said the Police will also decide on what to do if the group went ahead with the march.