Aabge Wɔ’ Demo Turn Out Low

The much anticipated demonstration supposed to highlight what members of the opposition describe as the “growing insecurity in the country” failed to live to its billing.

Nine opposition political parties including the National Democratic Congress (NDC) yesterday hit some major streets in Accra in a desperate attempt to rally the citizenry behind its course.

Although, organizers had hyped the demo christened as ‘Aabge Wɔ’ to wit, ‘they are killing us’, the event recorded low patronage.

The group, under the identity of the Inter-Party Coalition in Defence of National Sovereignty, had sought to demonstrate against the violence that occurred at La Bawaleshie during the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election, on Thursday, January 31, 2018.

Demo

After converging at the Obra Spot at the Kwame Nkrumah circle in the early hours of the day, the demonstrators walked through Adabaraka to Accra Central, and then to John Evans Atta Mills High Street.

The demonstrators continued to the Ministry of Interior and the Police Headquarters before finally converging at the Jubilee House where a petition was to be presented to the President.

Clad in red and black attires, the petitioners carried placards some of which read: ‘Ghana beyond violence’, ‘Bryan is evil’, ‘Family and friends government’, ‘Boot 4 boot’, ‘Ghana is no longer safe’, ‘IGP must go’, ‘Ghana beyond Delta Forces’, ‘Ghana beyond violence’, ‘Bring back our taadi girls’, amongst others.

The by-election, which had been labelled by witnesses as ‘bloody’, had since received condemnation from both local and international groups.

It is reported that about six people received various degrees of injuries from the unfortunate shooting incidence.

The Convener of the demo, Mr. Bernard Monah, in a press statement, said the opposition parties wanted to draw public attention to the “looming threat on Ghana’s democracy, peace and stability.”

According to him, they hoped to send a message to the New Patriotic Party (NPP)-led government “about the barbaric and brutal violence that characterised the conduct’ of the election, “as well as the growing atmosphere of insecurity in the country.”

Petitions well received

Interior Minister, Ambrose Dery, after receiving the petition commended the protesters for embarking on a peaceful march. He assured that the petition would receive the urgency it deserved.

He said his ministry is doing all it can to ensure that Ghana remains the hub of peace in the West African Sub-Region. His response was not different from that of the IGP.

Mr Rockson Bukari, a Minister of State at the Office of the President, received the petition on behalf of the President.

Empty Parliament

The protest is reported to have left Parliament house quite empty as most members of the Minority seemed to have yet again boycotted proceedings for the demonstration.

Reports said at the start of sitting yesterday, there were just about five members of the Minority on the floor, even though the number swelled later in the day.

The Inter-Party Coalition for National Sovereignty was made up the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the Convention People’s Party (CPP), the Ghana Consolidated People’s Party (GCPP), the Democratic People’s Party (DPP), the People’s National Convention (PNC), United Front Party (UFP), the EGLE Party, and the All People’s Congress (APC).

 

By Grace Ablewor Sogbey
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