The Youth Wing of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has expressed its dismissal of the three-day protest organized by the advocacy group known as Democracy Hub. In an official statement, Salam Mustapha, the Youth Organiser of the NPP, conveyed his perspective on the protest:
“During the three-day protest, I made a concerted effort to discern the primary reasons and objectives behind it, but regrettably, I found no concrete demands. Instead, the protest primarily revolved around familiar political rhetoric concerning issues like road infrastructure, the motorway, the cost of living, and related matters.”
Nonetheless, Mustapha did not hesitate to criticize the actions of the police during the initial day of the #OccupyJulorbiHouse demonstration on Thursday, September 21. He underscored the significance of the police force learning from past events to avoid similar incidents, stating, “I observed with great interest the three-day demonstration organized by the group called Democracy Hub. I must first and foremost condemn the conduct of the police on the first day of the demonstration. I believed that the brutal treatment we endured in September 2015, where we were subjected to violence, should have served as a lesson for the police, discouraging any repetition.”
Mustapha clarified, “It is essential to recognize that the right to protest is an inherent and constitutionally guaranteed right. Citizens possess the right to engage in peaceful demonstrations to articulate their demands.”
Regarding the group’s call for improved conditions for Ghanaians, Salam Mustapha acknowledged the economic challenges faced by Ghanaians and reassured the government’s commitment to addressing and rectifying these economic issues.
