• The march is to demand justice for Ibrahim Mohammed and other persons
• The #FixTheCountry campaigners turned down a request to be part of this march
In late April this year Ghana’s social media space witnessed something unusual and remarkable. A platform that is often used to propagate things most people consider to be less serious, turned itself around and birthed what has become the biggest non-political activism in the last few years.
What started off as tweets from one Kaly Jay, generated a whole conversation about the governing of this country and eventually landed on mainstream media platform.
The immediate reaction by some leading government officials including the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu was to rubbish it as ‘ugly noises’ but as time went on the government realized that the social media campaign was more than a mere expression of youthful exuberance.
Government then initiated steps to engage the activists and also instituted some form of press encounter when sectorial ministers took turns to show how government was ‘fixing the country.’
Unconvinced by these face-saving moves, the activists declared May 9 as a day where they will take the social media advocacy to the streets of the capital.
The Ghana Police Service under the guise of the COVID-19 Restrictions Act sought to prevent the demonstration and indeed succeeded in getting a court warrant against them.
But did not deter the campaigners who successfully held the protest on social media with over ten thousand posts.
Court battle between campaigners and Ghana Police Service
Since then, it has been back and forth between the dozen conveners and the Ghana Police Service with the courtroom being the field of their game.
Finality was however brought to the case when the Supreme Court quashed a perpetual injunction on the #FixTheCountry campaigners, giving then the all clear to stage their demonstration.
NDC advances and Macho Kaaka’s death
Whiles this was ongoing, the main opposition New Patriotic Party, NDC, made advances to the conveners who rebuffed the invitation on the premise that the #FixTheCoutry demonstration is a non-partisan movement by the youth of Ghana who are fed with the two leading parties.
The NDC finally got a window to make their political statement after an activist by name Ibrahim Mohammed known widely as Kaaka Macho was attacked by a mob and subsequently died from the attack for allegedly making life uncomfortable for government.
On June 30, 2021, the youth wing of the NDC announced their intentions to embark on a demonstration dubbed “March for Justice.”
On the same day, the Ghana Police Service announced it could not provide protection for the NDC to stage their demonstration.
“The Accra Regional Police Command acknowledged receipt of your letter dated 30th June 2021 on the above subject and wish to inform you that, restrictions imposed by the Executive Instrument (E. I) 395 to contain the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic has still not been lifted. The Regional Command also refers you to section 4 of the Public Order Act 1994 (Act 49) particularly concerning Public Health.
“The Command, therefore, cannot provide you with the needed security during your intended demonstration and street protest, please,” its press statement communicated.
Police U-turn
However a day later, the Police made a u-turn and agreed to allow the opposition party to hold their demonstration.
The police, according to the Youth Organiser of the NDC, George Opare Addo however rescinded their earlier decision after a crunch meeting between the two parties.
“We had a very fruitful meeting. They have agreed that they will allow us to protest. They withdrew the first letter they wrote to us, and so we also withdrew our statement we issued, and then they agreed that it was our democratic right to demonstrate, so it was not a difficult meeting at all,” he said.
#FixTheCountry anger
The #FixTheCountry conveners did not take kindly to the sudden change of position by the police. Oliver Barker-Vomawor, a member of the group questioned why the police will grant the NDC permission when it rejected their request.
“I find the reason the NDC is marching noble, but I am uncertain as to why they were allowed and we were denied. Have the Ghana Police Service changed strategy? We think the police should offer us an apology on this matter.”
Invitation to #FixTheCountry
George Opare Addo extended an invitation to the #FixTheCountry crusaders to join the March for Justice walk but that was outrightly turned down.
Opare Addo said on Citi FM: "I have criticised clearly the decision of the government to prevent the #FixTheCountry movement from embarking on their constitutionally mandated right to demonstrate. I believe that with the police agreeing that they will be around to provide us security, it is time that they also look at the issues pertaining to the fix the country movement." Oliver Vomawor turned down the request, stating that: “One of the things we need to be mindful of is that #FixTheCountry is not a group or entity. When individuals speak, they speak on their own mandate, so I cannot speak for the collective but I think we need to discuss the role of all political actors, including the government and the NDC as well, as to their engagement in the mess we find ourselves.”
Route for demonstration
The NDC on Sunday July 4, 2021 announced the routes for the march. It will start at the Accra Mall and end at Parliament.
From the Accra Mall, protesters will march through the Liberation Road to Opeibea House through Aviation road through to the Lands Commission.
The march will proceed to the Flagstaff House through the Switchback road, use the Ako Adjei interchange through to Parliament House.
Party advices demonstrators to adhere to COVID-19 protocols
Ahead of the walk today, July 6, 2021, the party has sent a message to participants to adhere strictly to the protocols on the coronavirus pandemic.
NDC is embarking on a demonstration today