Protestors in the “W)kpp3n33” demonstration got police on their feet after they refused to be stopped from going close to the seat of presidency; Jubilee House, Tuesday.
Scores of protesters who are members of the Inter-Party Resistance against New Voters Register marched from the Kawukudi Park to the Jubilee House to present a petition to the President, after which they will visit the Electoral Commission’s office where the demonstration will end.
On reaching the Jubilee House, a barricade had been mounted a few meters from the entrance, apparently to keep protestors at a distance.
Only party executives were to go beyond the barricade to present the petition on behalf of the group, GhanaWeb’s reporter noted.
Police personnel on the ground, however, were called to action to control the crowd after they ‘broke protocol’ to go beyond the mounted barricade and join their leaders present the petition.
The petition to the presidency would mean that the current and former presidents of the country have been informed of their reasons to protest the decision by the EC to compile a new register.
This was the third demonstration, following previous ones; ‘Tikusayi’ in Tamale and ‘Yenpini’ in Kumasi.
The group has been protesting to relay their displeasure about the EC’s decision to compile a new voters’ register.
Clad in red t-shirts, head and hand bands, with placards bearing various inscriptions including, “Pay striking teachers, don’t waste money on needless register”, “No new register” etc., hundreds of members joined in the street protest Tuesday morning.
The parties opposed to the new compilation say they remain unconvinced by the EC’s argument for a new register because there was no proof that the current register is not credible.
Meanwhile, the EC has announced April 18, 2020, as the date to begin compiling the new register.
The United States embassy in Ghana has also warned its citizens in the country to be cautious as the demonstration could be volatile.
Police trying to keep protesters in place