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Seasoned journalist, Kwesi Pratt has reprimanded the Ghana Police Service for using the court to frustrate demonstrators in the country.

Organizers of the FixtheCountry Movement who were to hold a protest against the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia administration on June 4, 2022 were stopped by the Police after perusing their conditions to embark on the demonstration.

Although the Police was praised by many people because the June 4th demo was thought to be a ploy to stage a coup, the security service was however advised to renegotiate with the organizers and allow them to demonstrate but not with the guns and private security among other ridiculous demands they made.

Another group called "Arise Ghana" who are to start a demonstration today, June 28 to highlight economic and governance challenges under the Akufo-Addo regime have also been opposed by the Police.

The pressure group, in a statement, indicated that they "shall move through the Nima Police Station street to the Arko-Agyei inter-change and end at the Frontage of the Jubilee House where we will picket until 10PM” but the Police has filed a case in court against them due to a disagreement on the time frame and the location.
 
According to a Police statement, "in the interest of Public Order and safety, we entreated the organizers to reconsider the time frame and start the demonstration early in the day and end before night falls" but "on June 22, 2022, the Police received a verbal response from the organizers to the effect that they are unable to change the time of the demonstration".

“Due to the lack of agreement between the Police and the organizers on the time for demonstration and location for their planned picketing, the Police have had no option but to submit the process to the court for a determination. This was duly communicated to Arise Ghana in a letter on June 20, 2022," the statement further read.

Touching on the issue on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" programme, Kwesi Pratt advised the Police to stop deliberately preventing people from embarking on demonstrations in the country.

He noted that it is every person's right to go on demonstration provided it doesn't threaten the country's security.

Mr. Pratt appealed to the Police "not to do those things that they sometimes deliberately do. This time they shouldn't do it. They must stop their deliberate way of impeding demonstrators".

He also asked them to review their stance on the Arise Ghana demonstration.

"I think that it's important that this demonstration is allowed to be held, you know, with all the changes which can be through dialogue between the organizers and the security officials, especially the Police", he stressed.