The Ghana Police Service is insisting that it will not allow the Minority caucus in parliament to terminate its protest at the Bank of Ghana Headquarters building in Accra.

In a press briefing on Monday, October 2, the Service reiterated that the reason for not allowing the protesters to terminate the protest at the said location was because it is a security zone.

According to the Director of Public Affairs of the Ghana Police Service, ASP Grace Ansah-Akrofi, the Public Order provides that “when the Police has been served with the notice of protest, the Service is to conduct a security assessment on the route and location proposed or when the police have concerns that following this route can endanger public safety, order and provision of essential services, the police is able to request of the organisers to make changes to their proposed route.”

She went on to state in a case of a disagreement with both parties – organisers and police, the police can go to court and so can the organisers go to court for a determination.

It has thus challenged the organisers of the protest to go to court for a hearing on the matter if they do not agree to the terms of the police after it filed an injunction at the court.

“Per the security assessment conducted by the Police Service, the Bank of Ghana is a security zone and we have advised the organisers accordingly, if they have dissatisfaction with the police proposal to them, they are allowed to go court so that the court determines the matter,” said the police.

The police at the press briefing noted that the Minority has finally reached an agreement with them on the route for the protest, although the minority is saying otherwise.

“Per our agreement with the Minority, the demonstrators will converge at Obra Spot at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle and proceed Adabraka to Ridge Roundabout, National Theatre Traffic Light, High Court Traffic Light to Atta Mills Highway and make a u-turn at the National Lottery and terminate at the Independence Square,” ASP Ansah-Akrofi indicated.

The Minority caucus in parliament has organised a protest dubbed #OccupyBoG in demand for the resignation of the Bank of Ghana’s Governor, Dr Ernest Addison alongside his two deputies.

They are making this demand against what they described as mismanagement at the central bank that has culminated in massive losses and subsequently taken a toll on the Ghanaian economy.

The Minority group earlier served notice to the police of the protest and proposed to start the demonstration from the frontage of Parliament.

They suggested using the following route: Osu Cemetery Traffic Light – Ministry of Finance – High Court Complex – Kinbu – Makola – Rawlings Park to Opera Square and to the Bank of Ghana to present their petition.

However, the police raised concerns about the selected routes noting that the routes may endanger public order and safety.

They also noted that they did not want the protest to obstruct traffic.

In this regard, the police suggested that the Minority converge at Obra Spot – Circle – Adabraka road building to the City Centre – Cedi House to Independence Square.

But the Minority insisted that they would stand by their proposed routes for the demonstration, adding that their route is shorter than what the police is proposing.

The Police subsequently filed for an injunction against the Minority’s proposed routes.