The Executive Director of the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), Mary Awelana Addah has called on the police not to prevent the Minority group from expressing their constitutional right to demonstrate if there is cause for alarm.

Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, she explained that should the police not heed the call, there would be a tendency for the protestors to feel their rights are being suppressed.

This, she added would push them to take other routes.

“If there is no cause for alarm, the police should not be putting impediments in the way of the citizens from expressing their constitutional rights,” she said.

“Since the people trust government and their institution and they’re just going ahead to demonstrate to show some reservations on what has happened which they believe should not, particularly in this instance that the Governor should be compelled to resign, is a constitutional right for the party and I believe the party is made up of the citizens so we should not be seen curtailing their rights by citing some examples that are not in our context.

“If there is no smoke, certainly, we shouldn’t be creating any fire, I don’t think there is a need for it,”she stressed.

The Minority caucus is planning to march to the Bank of Ghana to demand the resignation of the Governor and two deputies following the bank's GH¢60.8 billion losses in 2022.

The NDC MPs want to use the routes from Makola, through Rawlings Park and Opera Square to the frontage of the Bank of Ghana.

However, the Ghana Police Service argue that the route is overcrowded and could endanger public safety. The Greater Accra Regional Police Command in this regard, has filed an injunction application against the minority's preferred route.

But the Minority insists that their planned demonstration poses no security threat to the public. 

According to the NDC MPs, the Ghana Police Service is applying the Public Order Act injuriously. 

This is according to the Bawku Central MP, Mahama Ayariga speaking on Newsfile on Saturday, September 2. He said they will oppose the injunction application on Monday. 

He added that the police has demonstrated bad faith as they have been engaging them throughout their plan for the protest. 

“A very a good law can be used injuriously by very bad people. The Public Order Act as the name suggest is to ensure public order, but please you need to establish that there is a real threat and this is a protest march that we have not heard heard one single Ghanaian say that they are going to challenge the protesters with a counter demonstration, so there is really no threat.”