'Public Order Law is an affront to the constitution'- Kwesi Pratt warns

Veteran journalist Kwesi Pratt Jnr has stated that the Public Order Law contravenes the 1992 Constitution, asserting that it curtails the rights of the public to demonstrate.

Speaking in Protect the Protest, a documentary by Amnesty International Ghana that highlights the courage of Ghanaian protesters and human rights defenders, the Managing Editor of the Insight Newspaper argued that the law undermines the right to the freedom of assembly.

“One of the most unfortunate developments was the introduction of the Public Order law, which I think is an affront to the 1992 Constitution, the law says that for public events, you need to give the police five days’ notification, the route you are going to use for the protests, an estimate of the number of participants,” he stated.

Giving a historical background to earlier demonstrations in the country, Pratt said it played a vital role in aiding Ghana's transition to democratic governance.

He recalled the 1995 Kume Preko demonstration, describing it as a tragic moment in the nation’s history.

The protest took place in opposition to the Value Added Tax (VAT) initiative which was introduced under the Jerry John Rawlings administration.

Initially billed as a peaceful protest, it quickly turned violent when unidentified assailants shot live bullets into the crowd resulting in the deaths of some protesters.

“In 1995, when we organised the Kume Preko demonstration, people died. They were killed. They were shot and killed by agents of the government then. One of those who died was Ahunu Hongar, a student, a young student,” he said.

Public Order Law does not make sense, it’s time to throw it out of the window – Pratt

Reflecting on present-day politics, Pratt questioned how some leaders can reconcile their actions with the sacrifices of those who fought for Ghana’s freedom.

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“Now, today, I'm just imagining a situation where the family of Ahunu Hongar is observing what is happening in our country today and realizes that some of the people who organized that demonstration are in government, and are doing exactly what Ahunu Hongar had just lost their lives for. I mean, it's incredible. And I don't see how our politicians manage to walk about their conscience intact,” he added.

Watch the video below:

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