Alhassan Tampuli Sulemana, the Member of Parliament for Gushegu and Deputy Minister of Transport, has expressed disappointment in the organizers of the #OccupyJulorbiHouse protests, labeling their efforts as a failure due to their inability to submit a petition outlining their concerns.
Alhassan Sulemana said that he had been designated by the government to receive the petition from the Democracy Hub group, which orchestrated the protests.
However, to his dismay, the group failed to present any concrete concerns during the demonstrations.
"It became very necessary for us to meet them. At some point, I was told, for instance, that all of them wanted to come. So we said, okay, we will move to where you are if you just want to present a petition. I will move under escort to wherever they were.
"That was when I was told that actually there was no petition. So, it is like a right that has been exercised, but the point hasn't been drummed home. So the leadership actually failed,” Citinewsroom quoted the lawmaker.
Last week, hundreds of demonstrators gathered in Accra for three days of anti-government protests, citing economic hardship as their primary concern.
The first day of protests resulted in dozens of arrests as demonstrators, some waving placards and the Ghanaian flag, expressed frustration over the high cost of living and a lack of job opportunities.
Ghana, known for its gold, oil, and cocoa production, has been grappling with its worst economic crisis in a generation, largely driven by soaring public debt.
Despite the police filing an injunction application on September 20 to prevent the Democracy Hub group from proceeding with their planned protest, the group's leaders insisted on moving forward.
On September 21, the police prevented the group from gathering at the Jubilee House, resulting in the arrest of 49 Democracy Hub members.
Undeterred, the group continued their protest on Friday and Saturday, although their attempts to march to the Jubilee House were blocked by law enforcement.
Click here to start the nomination process for the 2023 GhanaWeb Excellence Awards
Ghana’s leading digital news platform, GhanaWeb, in conjunction with the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, is embarking on an aggressive campaign which is geared towards ensuring that parliament passes comprehensive legislation to guide organ harvesting, organ donation, and organ transplantation in the country.
NAY/AE
Alhassan Tampuli Sulemana, the Member of Parliament for Gushegu