Over 500 police officers from the three Regional Police Commands in the Eastern Region have been deployed to Koforidua this morning to provide security for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) demonstration.
The personnel will include members of the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD), the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), and the Counter Terrorism Unit.
At a parade held yesterday at the Eastern Regional Police Headquarters, officers were reminded to act with a high level of professionalism to ensure a peaceful protest.
The police also confirmed that they had agreed on the demonstration routes and other key details with the NDC, including a restriction that only a small delegation will be allowed to present the petition to the Electoral Commission (EC) at its regional office.
As part of the arrangements, protesters will be blocked from getting too close to the EC office.
The NDC is protesting the EC’s refusal to conduct a forensic audit of the voters’ register after the party identified alleged widespread irregularities during the recent exhibition exercise by the Commission.
The Eastern Regional Branch of the NDC announced the demonstration would take place on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, to demand free, fair, transparent, and peaceful elections. According to a notice submitted to the Ghana Police Service last week, the protest will begin at 7:00 a.m. from Koforidua Prisons Park and follow a route through the Y&K Traffic Light and Agartha Market, concluding at the EC’s Regional Office.
The Eastern Regional Secretary of the NDC, Jamal Konneh, emphasized the importance of the demonstration, calling it a key step in ensuring credible elections. “This demonstration is our way of making it clear that we demand nothing short of free, fair, and transparent elections. It is the right of every citizen to participate in elections that are fair and peaceful,” Konneh stated.
He also urged the police to cooperate and provide the necessary security for the peaceful march. “We have notified the police as required by the Public Order Act, and we are counting on their usual cooperation to maintain order and protect the rights of demonstrators,” he added.
On September 9, 2024, National Chairman of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, called for nationwide demonstrations to demand a forensic audit of the voter register to ensure its credibility.
Source:Mybrytfmonline.com/Obed Ansah
