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Ghana’s biggest opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) is calling for an inquiry into what it describes as barbaric and brutal attack meted out to some anti-new voter register protesters at the nation’s Parliament Thursday.
The group were in Parliament to intensify pressure on the Electoral Commission to discard the current voter register.
Images being circulated on social media saw the protesters in a clash with police officers outside the House during the State of the Nation Address delivered by President Akufo-Addo.
In a statement however, the NDC said the assault suffered by the protesters who included Peter Boamah Otokunor, the NDC Deputy General Secretary was completely needless and must be condemned.
“The cruel and barbaric manner in which the police used unjustifiable force in an attempt to suppress the constitutional rights of Ghanaians to protest peacefully, was totally disproportionate and unwarranted. This callous application of force resulted in physical injuries to some of the protesters including our Deputy General Secretary in charge of Operations, Mr. Peter Boamah Otokunor”, parts of the statement signed by the party’s General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah read.
The NDC also accused the Director of Operations at the Accra Regional Police Command, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Kwesi Ofori, ordered the use of water canons containing hot chemical solution on the protestors.
“To top this aberrant behaviour of the goons under the authority of Kwesi Ofori, our MPs decried the harassment and intimidation by armed military men and heavily jacked-up SWAT/National Security Operatives who uncharacteristically [were] stationed in the Chambers of the House. We roundly condemn this utterly unacceptable and despicable security arrangement”, the NDC said in the statement while throwing support for the Minority decision to boycott the event.
Ghanaian opposition MPs on Thursday boycotted this year’s State of the Nation Address.
The Minority members, most of whom wore black chanted parts of the national anthem as they walked out of the chamber on Thursday.
They took the action shortly after President Nana Akufo-Addo assumed his seat in Parliament.
“And help us to resist oppressors’ rule with all our will, and might forevermore,” they chanted as they left the chamber.
Shortly after they left, the Majority on the other occupied most of the seats as they tore off placards dotted on the Minority seats.
“For instance, the NPP MP for Assin Central, Hon Kennedy Agyapong has occupied the Minority Leader’s seat while others did same” our Parliamentary Correspondent reported.
Members of the diplomatic corps were also seen taking pictures of the proceedings.
By Jonathan Ofori, Daily Mail GH
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