Hundreds of Ghanaians hit the streets of Ghana’s capital Accra on Tuesday and Wednesday to protest the rising cost of fuel, which, they claim, has resulted in hikes in goods and services, thus making life unbearable.
The protesters included political activists, traders, drivers, teachers and students.
The protesters marched through the principal streets of Accra, resulting in heavy vehicular traffic during the two days.
The protesters came under one umbrella body: ‘Arise Ghana’.
What was supposed to be a peaceful demonstration to express their concerns, somehow, turned chaotic on Tuesday amidst the firing of tear gas and the pelting of stones by the protesters.
In the process, the Ghana Police Service, in a statement said 12 of its officers and some protesters were wounded.
A total of 29 protestors were subsequently arrested for their roles in the attack on the police and the vandalising of police vehicles, the police statement said.
Reacting to the protest on Accra-based Joy FM, Ghana’s Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, noted that there was a deliberate attempt by some individuals to destabilise the country.
“We don’t need to mince words about it. There is a trajectory-first, there was a group that wanted to demonstrate with weapons.
“Then, there was this group that said they wanted to demonstrate at night or to demonstrate from the evening throughout the night till the next morning. The police raised obvious security questions that it will be difficult,” he said.
The Ofoase-Ayirebi legislator noted that but for the interventions by the police, other similar protests could have landed the country in a state of insecurity, considering how the ‘Arise Ghana’ demonstrators behaved on Tuesday, June 28.
“This [Arise Ghana demo] is even daytime, broad daylight at the Obra Spot here in Accra–we have people attacking police officers in this manner. Can you imagine what would have happened at night if indeed some of these things were allowed to continue throughout the night?” he quizzed.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com