Police in Accra have vowed to stop a planned demonstration next week by the Progressive People’s Party in protest against alleged corruption in government.
The Police Public Relations Officer in Accra, DSP Freeman Tettey, insists that its ban on all public demonstrations until after Ghana’s Presidential Election petition is over still holds.
Although they have not been given the go ahead, the National Chairman of the PPP, Nii Allotey Brew Hammond says it is still negotiating with the police to give the green light for a peaceful demonstration meant to express their disgust on corruption in the country.
The PPP chair did not specify particular examples of the ‘high levels of corruption’, but it appears to be linked to startling revelations of corruption at the Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Agency (GYEEDA).
This follows Joy News’ investigations by Manasseh Azure Awuni that uncovered that GYEEDA had become a breeding ground for corruption as some officials of the programme divert state funds into their private pockets. A Ministerial Investigative Committee Report on GYEEDA has also issued clear recommendations for swift prosecution of corrupt officials named in the report.
Nii Allotey Hammond said there were “horrified party members” and interested Ghanaians bent on putting “a little pressure” on government by expressing their disgust at revelations on corruption.
DSP Freeman Tettey says they are yet to receive any such notice from the political party. Nonetheless, the Police had appealed to groups intending to demonstrate to suspend any such activity until after the Supreme Court decides on the Presidential Election Petition.
“We still stand by it”, he vowed.
