Accra, July 7, GNA – The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has held the Government accountable for the recent violent attacks on a section of the public by the Military.
The NDC said the Government deliberately wanted to instil fear and anxiety in Ghanaians.
It accused the Government of deliberate militarisation of the society as part of a grand design to totally dominate the state.
A petition presented to Parliament after the NDC demonstration, dubbed: “March for Justice” on some principal streets of Accra, said Ghanaians had come to a point where sporadic acts of violence, killings and brutalisation of innocent Ghanaians should no longer be tolerated.
Ms Ruth Dela Seddoh, the Deputy Youth Organiser, presenting the petition on behalf of the group to the Leadership of Parliament, said: “The NDC can no longer sit down and watch the life of its compatriots snuffed out of them by the security agencies.”
“Parliament with its oversight role on the Executive should be able to lead an effort to halt the violence against Ghanaians.”
The Leadership of the House received the petition on behalf of Speaker Alban Bagbin.
Majority Leader, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, assured the demonstrators that the Leadership would investigate their concerns as the government was committed to protecting lives of the citizens.
He said the rights to assemble, demonstrate and express one’s grievances were all guaranteed in the 1992 Constitution.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said though the security agencies were there to protect lives and property, there had been instances of some of them going wayward since the return to constitutional rule.
He said the Petition could lead the House to inquire into the matter and any such investigation could also lead to tightening of legislation to prevent such from happening in the future.
The Minority Leader, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, commended the group for the peaceful demonstration and assured the members that Parliament would probe the issues and where it was necessary to rid the security agencies of those engaged in such behaviour they would not hesitate to do so.
“The unruly behaviour of the security agencies cannot be accepted anywhere in the country,” Mr Iddrisu said.
GNA