Protests Erupt in Ghana Amid Economic Crisis and Arrests: Opposition Parties and Public Decry Police Response

In the Ghanaian capital of Accra, a wave of protests has surged, resulting in the arrest of approximately 49 demonstrators as they endeavored to march towards the government’s headquarters, Jubilee House. These protesters, donned in red and black attire, sought to express their frustration with the persistent economic crisis plaguing the West African nation. Eyewitness accounts suggest that the police resorted to physical force against the gathering, even briefly detaining several journalists who were later released.

One protester, Richard Allotey, a 32-year-old unemployed graduate, recounted the ordeal, stating that the police forced them into a waiting bus and subjected them to physical assault at the police station. Allotey had sustained a cut on his left arm during the altercation. “We were not armed. We only went to register our grievances over how the economy is being mismanaged, and the police beat us,” he explained.

The demonstration had been organized by Democracy Hub, an advocacy group focused on governance issues. Democracy Hub condemned the deployment of “brute force to thwart a peaceful protest” in a statement issued on the day of the protest. They proudly declared that they are “indeed not timid people.”

Police spokesperson Juliana Obeng, while not addressing the allegations of police abuse, noted that the arrests were made “in connection with an unlawful assembly.” She cited a last-minute court process initiated by the police to halt the planned demonstration, explaining that the police’s primary concern was the security of the proposed venue.

Ghana’s principal opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), strongly criticized the police’s actions during the protests. Fiifi Kwetey, the general secretary of the NDC, labeled the police’s actions as shameful. He asserted that there was no justification for the use of force against peaceful protesters expressing genuine concerns about poor governance and corruption in the country.

On social media, particularly on X (formerly Twitter), Ghanaians voiced their disapproval of the government’s handling of the situation. Criticism was particularly directed at the government’s response to the economic crisis and allegations of corruption, which have fueled public discontent and led to these protests. Popular singer Black Sherif expressed his views, highlighting the debt situation and lamenting the use of police force against those seeking accountability.

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