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The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has criticized arrests and alleged assaults on the members of the Democracy Hub by personnel of the Ghana Police Service during the #OccupyJulorbiHouse demonstration.
“The NCCE wishes to remind all stakeholders that free of assembly including ‘freedom to take part in processions and demonstrations’ is a fundamental human right.
“There is absolutely no justification for the alleged heavy-handed and excessive response by the personnel of the Ghana Police Service on the demonstrators,” the NCCE stated in a press release dated September 25, 2023.
This comes on the back of the Police arresting the group calling itself Democracy Hub who were at the #OccupyJulorbiHouse demonstration on Thursday September 21, 2023.
The group was protesting against the government’s mismanagement of the economy and the difficulties it has caused Ghanaians.
The Democracy Hub group has been criticizing the government and embarking on a series of demonstrations, demanding that the government put in place proper measures to alleviate the suffering of Ghanaians.
The protesters were demanding a range of reforms, including a reduction in the cost of living, an end to corruption, and improved governance.
The police had attempted to obtain a court injunction to ban the protest, but the protesters defied the attempts and marched to the Jubilee House which attracted a series of arrests that were made on Thursday, September 21.
The NCCE urged Ghanaians to respect the rule of law during protests and called for a unification of the various facets of Ghanaian society to ensure peace during protests.
“That said, NCCE also reminds citizens that fundamental human rights are not absolute; demonstrations, processions and other expressions of citizens’ discontent must happen within the confines of the law.
“The Commission reiterates the need for all Ghanaians, including the Executive, the Legislature, the Judiciary, state institutions, and political parties, civic society organisations, the clergy to unite and work together to help consolidate and preserve Ghana’s democracy in order to bequeath to posterity, a democracy better than what we inherited.”
The 3-day demonstration saw massive crowd including many celebrities in the likes of comedian SDK, Efia Odo, John Dumelo, Kwaw Kese, EL, Kwadwo Sheldon and many others.
