The Accra Regional Police Commander, COP Dr George Akuffo Dampare, has cautioned police officers assigned to Organised Labour’s upcoming demonstration to desist from any acts that may mar the exercise.
Mr. Dampare has thus called on the men and women of the service to act professionally to maintain law and order.
[contextly_sidebar id=”LhLg13mQa8NLDnHp1cwCS71YctWcC96V”]He made the remarks when he addressed a parade of police officers assigned to guide the demonstrators.
“…We should use this demonstration also as a dress rehearsal for all the operations that we are going to conduct during this particular election year and as we have done in the past, let’s go out there to be professional, learn from our mistakes and keep improving.”
“ We should make sure that as we are out there, the strategies that we put in place to ensure that all the vantage points that the demonstration will go through will be covered sufficiently and ensure that they are under the leadership,” he pleaded.
The police have in times past been accused of mishandling demonstrators. The criticisms deepened recently when the police assaulted some demonstrators of the pressure group, Let My Vote Count Alliance, who embarked on a protest march to demand a new voters’ register for the 2016 polls.
The demonstration which will come off on January 19 and 20 will be followed by a nationwide strike on January 21 and 22.
The protest is to register Organised Labour’s displeasure about government’s refusal to reduce what they have described as astronomical increase in taxes that have heightened the prices of petroleum products and the cost of utility tariffs.
The Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana (JUSSAG), has asked its members to participate in the nationwide protest.
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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana