Police prevent protestors from accessing National Cathedral, Parliament

 

Officers from the Ghana Police Service have prevented demonstrators from entering Parliament and the National Cathedral construction grounds.

It is unclear why the police prevented the protestors from accessing the place. At about 10:00 am, the group started picketing at the forecourt of Parliament calling for the termination of the construction.

The group comprising members of Justice for Ghana, Arise Ghana, and some traditional leaders later moved to the cathedral construction grounds but were met by armed policemen.

After a short interaction between leaders of the group and the police, one of the leaders, Bernard Mornah, announced that “the police have decided not to allow us entry. This was not the agreement. We told them in our negotiations that we will be coming there and they agreed. So I don’t know why they have now turned back on their words.”

On what specific explanation the police have given them, Mr Mornah said “they are not giving us any exact reason. They are just saying they can’t allow us. But as you can see, they keep receiving directives on the phone. As to who is giving them the order, we do not know.”

The group vowed not to back down until they are finally allowed entry to the place.

 “We are law-abiding citizens so we are going back to picket at parliament and return later to this place,” he said. Meanwhile, after getting to Parliament, the group was also prevented from entering the premises.

The entrance gate to Parliament was under lock, as a group of FPU officers clamoured in battle gear and shields formed in front of the locked gate. The police have since declined to talk to the media.

Some of the inscriptions on their banner read: “Return Cathedral Cash, Prime State Land Wasted, Don’t Touch Pensions Fund, Say No to IMF-Haircut, among others.”

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