#OccupyBoGProtest: Demonstrators won’t be allowed near BoG — Police

The Ghana Police Service has stated that no participant in the scheduled demonstration against the Bank of Ghana (BoG) will be allowed anywhere near the premises of the regulator of the banking industry.

The demonstration organised by the Minority in Parliament dubbed #OccupyBOG is slated for today.

The march is against some inconsistencies in the national economy recorded in the current administration of the BoG.

Describing the BoG as a security zone, the police said they were prepared to ensure security, law and order for the planned demonstration and insisted the route did not include BoG.

“The name of the protest does not determine the route of the protest.

We have agreed on the routes and those are the routes that will be used,” said the Public Affairs Director of the Ghana Police Service, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Grace Ansah-Akrofi, during a media briefing on the preparedness of the police for the demonstration.

She reminded the demonstrators to adhere to the routes, with the demonstration commencing at the Obra Spot at the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange through Adabraka, Ridge Roundabout, National Theatre Traffic Light, High Court Complex Traffic Light, and the Atta Mills Highway.

The protesters were further urged to conduct themselves in a peaceful manner before, during and after the demonstration as the police provided the required security in line with the Public Order Act 1994 (ACT 491).

The organisers of the demonstration had indicated that about 5,000 people would take part in the demonstration.

“We have adequate number of police officers for the demonstration,” the Director of Police Public Affairs said after she commended the organisers for cooperating with the police through the process.

Road blocks  

Mrs Ansah-Akrofi said as part of security measures, traffic arrangements had been put in place, including a temporary blocking of the road from the Independence Square in front of the National Lotteries towards the Old Parliament Traffic Light during the course of the demonstration.

The blocked roads will be diverted through the Starlet Traffic Light through the Ministries Traffic Light to the front of the Office of the Department of Urban Roads (DUR), through the National Lotteries.

Users of that route will then link the AMA Office Road to the road in front of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to take a detour back to the John Evans Atta Mills Highway at the Old Parliament Traffic Light intersection.

In line with arrangements, Mrs Ansah-Akrofi said personnel of the Motor Transport and Traffic Department (MTTD) would be deployed at the various intersections to assist the motoring public.

Engagements

Ahead of the demonstration, there has been series of engagements between the Ghana Police Service and organisers of the protest.

The initial protest was slated for September 5, 2023 and was to commence from the Parliament House through the Osu Cemetery traffic light, High Court Complex, Ministry of Finance, Kinbu, Makola – Rawlings Park, Opera Square to the Bank of Ghana Head Office.