Accra, May 5, GNA – The Ghana Police Service (GPS) has advised organizers of the #FixTheCountry Campaign not to proceed with their demonstration slated for Sunday, May 9, 2021 due to the COVID-19 restriction on mass gathering.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency on Wednesday in Accra, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Effia Tenge, Head of Public Affairs Unit of the Accra Regional Police Command, said two conveners presented a letter on Tuesday, May 4, 2021 seeking permission to embark on the demonstration but the Police in another letter of response advised that they postponed the event to a more convenient date.
She said the GPS was yet to receive word from the organizers regarding the advice they had been given not to proceed with the demonstration.
The DSP said this was not the first first time the GPS had turned down the request to embark on a demonstration in order to ensure that the COVID-19 ban on mass gatherings was adhered to.
“We have done it to about three or four different groups already and so let us not create a big issue out of this one,” she said.
A group of Ghanaians who are unhappy with what they call the economic challenges in the country has declared its intention to protest on May 9, 2021.
The group has been expressing its displeasure over the failure of successive governments to improve the living standards of Ghanaians on Twitter using the hashtag #FixTheCountry.
They cited ‘dumsor’, unemployment and poor healthcare systems as proof of successive governments’ mismanagement of the country.
The demonstration is expected to start from the Black Star Square to Maxmart, both in Accra.
#FixTheCountry has been in the social media trends for about 48 hours.
It was initially started by some young persons on Twitter, but some celebrities later joined the campaign to hold the government accountable.
An online petition which was launched to support the cause has gathered over 2,000 signatures so far.
GNA