The opposition National Democratic Congress Member of Parliament (MP) for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga has reacted to an interview the central bank Governor, Dr Ernest Addison reportedly granted the Central Banking portal and allegedly described last Tuesday's protesters as "hooligans."

To Mr Ayariga, "having called us hooligans, he [Addison] will get a response of hooligans."

"I, Mahama Ayariga, I am saying that he will see what hooligans do, I don't know what my colleagues [Minority MPs] will think but when we meet we will discuss and let you know. But I'm sure that having called us hooligans, he will get a response of hooligans," Mr Ayariga stated in a radio interview monitored by Graphic Online on Accra based Citi FM on Thursday morning (Oct 5, 2023).

Mr Ayariga was reacting to a report by the Central Banking, which reported on an interview Dr Addison granted the portal in reaction to last Tuesday's protest, which called for his resignation.

Related article: Ghana’s governor rejects opposition calls to resign

Asked if he had read the report by the Central Banking, Mr Ayariga said he was following up on what Citinewsroom had reported

"I did not for once image that the central bank governor will be so frustrated as to respond that way, to call your members of parliament, hooligans, people who have written to the police to demonstrate, the police raised issues, we went to court, they postponed the demonstration two times, we went to court, we responded..., we had meetings with the police, we came to a clear understanding on the route..., and anybody who monitored the protest march saw that it was one of the most peaceful, orderly, well organised." 

"...we got to where the police said we should stop, we stopped there, they took us to the Bank of Ghana head office, only for him [Governor] to send his head of security to come and collect our petition and we said no, we will not give our petition to him because we didn't come to give a petition to the head of security. How can you describe people who have conducted themselves this way, as hooligans and you are the Governor of central bank. But I can understand, where the arrogance of power has sent some people and so in future, when it becomes difficult to manage our people [protesters] because they have been branded hooligans and they want to show what hooliganism means, he will come and answer. I really have nothing to say now, I'm just waiting for our colleagues [Minority MPs and allies] for us to have a meeting and give him a response.

What BoG Governor Addison said in rejecting opposition calls to resign

'We will continue to protest'- Ayariga

Adding, Mr Ayariga said: "We will continue to protest, we will continue to demand and he has labelled us as hooligans. Well, he will see. We have tried to be as civil as possible, as descent as possible. We've been accused of being so lamed duck in our approach, people were hailing other groups for being violent in the protest that they organised and then branding us as not being radical enough, but we insisted, [that] as responsible leaders to go through the entire process, get the necessary approval, get the necessary cooperation and during the demonstration, we did everything to hold our people in check and when we finished no mean a person than the central bank governor, will call us hooligans. He will see what hooligans do."

"I, Mahama Ayariga, I am saying that he will see what hooligans do, I don't know what my colleagues will think but when we meet we will discuss and let you know. But I'm sure that having called us hooligans, he will get a response of hooligans."