The Director of Communications for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Richard Ahiagbah, has reaffirmed the government’s unwavering support for the right of citizens to protest, describing it as a fundamental tool for holding leadership accountable in a democracy.
In a post on X, Mr. Ahiagbah emphasized the importance of peaceful protests while cautioning against any actions that could lead to violence or disruption of public order.
“The right of citizens to protest in a democracy is inviolable and absolute. It’s a tool at our disposal to hold governments accountable,” Mr. Ahiagbah stated.
His comments come in the wake of a recent protest organized by the Democracy Hub, which sought to draw attention to the negative impact of illegal mining (galamsey) on the environment. According to Mr. Ahiagbah, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the NPP fully support the protest’s objective, highlighting the government’s ongoing efforts since 2017 to protect water bodies and combat the environmental devastation caused by galamsey.
However, the protest reportedly took an unexpected turn, with Mr. Ahiagbah noting that certain “radical elements” infiltrated the demonstration, leading to acts of violence, obstruction on roads, and destruction of property. This escalation, he said, necessitated police intervention.
“The execution of the protest suffered the infiltration of some radical elements whose participation detracted from the democratic essence of the protest and now has become a matter requiring the intervention of the police and the courts,” he explained.
The Communications Director expressed concern about the criticism directed at the government, particularly by international media, including Larry Madowo of CNN. According to Mr. Ahiagbah, these critics assumed the protest was peaceful until authorities intervened, which he disputed.
“Somehow, the government is being blamed because critics and reporters, including @larryMadowo of CNN, assume that the protest was as peaceful as expected. The truth is that the demonstration degenerated into violent obstruction on the roads, destruction of public and private properties, and causing panic among road users,” Mr. Ahiagbah clarified.
He acknowledged the possibility that some innocent bystanders or peaceful protesters may have been mistakenly arrested, urging the police and courts to act swiftly in such cases. Nonetheless, he maintained that law enforcement had a duty to protect the peace and safeguard the public from any excesses.
Mr. Ahiagbah also drew attention to a recent demonstration by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) on September 17th, which he said concluded without any incidents of arrest or police brutality due to its peaceful nature. He urged protesters to remain calm in future demonstrations, quoting Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to underscore his point: “We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence.”
He emphasized the need for restraint and responsibility from protesters and law enforcement to uphold democracy and prevent unnecessary confrontations with the law.
