The Police have arrested over 50 protesters including organizers of the Occupy Jubilee House demonstration.
The police in a statement on the eve of the protest said it has filed an application at the High Court in Accra and successfully served organisers of the planned demonstration within the vicinity of Jubilee House from Thursday, 21st to Saturday, 23rd September 2023.
The Police further urged the public “to take note and disregard any calls from any individuals or groups encouraging them to assemble for a demonstration at the Jubilee House” as the parties wait for the court to determine the matter.
“We equally wish to urge the organisers to respect the due process in the interest of public order and public safety,” it added.
However, the organisers of the planned picket assured the public that the protest would proceed despite an injunction application filed at the court by the police because they had not been duly served.
The 'Democracy Hub' group attempted to march to Jubilee House, the official residence of the President of Ghana on Thursday.
The police responded by arresting several protesters including some of the organizers.
Background
Accra-based civil society group, Democracy Hub in August 2023 notified the Ghana Police Service of a planned demonstration slated for September 21, the day set aside as Nkrumah Memorial Day.
In the letter signed by the Director and Associate Programmes Officer of the group, Benjamin Akuffo Darko, the group expressed their plan to picket at the forecourt of the Jubilee House from 6am to 5pm.
The protest is to call on “the President and members of the Economic Management Team to #FixTheCountry in light of the level of economic mismanagement and theft that has engulfed our government from the highest levels.”
“The picketing will also allow citizens to express their opposition to the proposed military intervention in Niger as well as any other government policy decisions or initiatives,” it added.
According to the group, the selection of Nkrumah Memorial Day is vital to the message they want to put across as it commemorates “the spirit of resilience and resistance that led the struggle against oppression and dispossession.”