Election 2020: Allow aggrieved citizens to demonstrate – Pentecostal and Charismatic Council to police

The Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC) has urged the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to resort to the Supreme Court regarding its contest of the presidential results as announced by the Electoral Commission on Wednesday, 9 December 2020.

In a statement signed by the General Secretary of the GPCC, Rev. Emmanuel T. Barrigah, on Monday, 14 December 2020, it read: “We wish to encourage the losing parties to strongly consider the constitutional option of proceeding to the Supreme Court with all the evidence they have gathered to seek a review of the decision of the EC”.

The Council also urged the police and the security agencies not to curtail the right of the aggrieved supporters of the losing party, to demonstrate in line with the 1992 Constitution.

“The right to peaceful demonstrations by aggrieved parties to the electoral dispute must be upheld and protected by the security agencies, especially the Ghana Police Service without any hindrances”.

Read the GPCC’s full statement below:

PRESS STATEMENT

December 14, 2020

CALL FOR CALMNESS BY ALL GHANAIANS IN THE CURRENT POST-ELECTION AGITATIONS

The Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC) has, over the last few days after the declaration of the of the December 7th presidential election results, observed some unfortunate development in the political environment that borders on the peace, security and stability of our nation with grave concerns and would wish to call the attention of all stakeholders to the following issues with the view to addressing them to avoid any escalation of the already tensed environment:

1.The right to peaceful demonstrations by aggrieved parties to the electoral dispute must be upheld and protected by the security agencies, especially the Ghana Police Service without any hindrances. While calling on the security agencies to remain professional and be measured in their responses to acts of indiscipline by demonstrators in these tensed moments, we are equally calling on all aggrieved parties to be responsible in the exercise of their constitutional rights to demonstrate peacefully without disturbing the peace of the country.

2.In the same vain, we wish to encourage the losing parties to strongly consider the constitutional option of proceeding to the Supreme Court with all the evidence they have gathered to seek a review of the decision of the EC. While at this, we also wish to appeal to the leadership of the losing parties to call on their supporters nationwide, to be circumspect and responsible in the exercise of their rights to free expression and demonstration without the destruction of lives and properties, for we have only one nation to live in.

3.To the victorious party, the Council wishes to appeal to them to be measured in their celebrations in order not to provoke their opponents to violent retaliatory responses.

4.Finally, we wish to call on all our member churches, and, by extension, all peace-loving Ghanaians not to relent in their prayer efforts by continually praying congregationally and individually until calmness is restored to all parts of the country.

God bless our homeland Ghana and make our nation great and strong.

Long live in Ghana!

Issued on behalf of the National Executive Council by:

Rev. Emmanuel T. Barrigah

(General Secretary)

NB: Contact: 0242703772/0208232694