Factory demolition: An act of economic brutality - NDC

The Leadership of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has condemned the demolition of Raymond Archer’s printing press on Monday at the Trade Fair, La describing the exercise as an act of economic brutality targeted at a hardworking young businessman.

The Leadership said they condemned in no uncertain terms, the bizarre and capricious application of state power by the government in the victimization of political opponents, particular in the recent case of the midnight demolition of Raymond Archer’s industrial printing press and that of others.

An official statement issued and signed by Mr Johnson Asiedu-Nketia, the NDC General Secretary and copied the Ghana News Agency said the demolition was ”clearly an act of cowardice driven by the government’s insatiable desire for vindictiveness and nepotistic totalitarianism”.

The offices and factory of Colour Planet \limited, one of the largest industrial printing firms in Ghana owned and operated by Ace investigation journalist, Mr Raymond Archer, formerly of the “Enquirer” Newspaper was razed down by an excavator operated by heavily armed National Security \operatives and uniformed Police Officers.

The statement said: “It is our considered view that, this demolition forms part of a grand scheme targeted at destroying all businesses with perceived leanings to the National Democratic Congress.”

“We have witnessed the unlawful closure of financial institutions, radio stations, media houses, construction companies and several other local businesses,” it added.

It said that followed a similar application of impunity in the unlawful demolition of a four-bedroom house belonging to Mr Mustafa Gbande, a former NDC Deputy Regional Secretary of the Volta Region by a team of National Security and Police Operatives and a host of other such heartbreaking socio-economic activities.

“At this point, we are convinced these various acts of impunity by the government constitute an act of provocation against the National Democratic Congress and its entire membership.”

The statement, therefore demanded an immediate stop to acts of provocation and intimidation of innocent citizens, adding, “the government must be reminded that when injustice and impunity becomes law, resistance becomes an inevitable duty of the people”.