Donkor's demo reaction regrettable; Ridiculing demonstrators is offensive - Ablakwa

Deputy Education Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has said it was inappropriate for people to ridicule demonstrators who express their dissatisfaction on an issuee

Speaking on Radio Gold's 'Alhaji and Alhaji' programme, Mr Ablakwa said the situation was distasteful and attempts to question the intelligence of people who participate in such protests.

 “When I heard this week that one of our senior colleagues made some comments about the demonstrators, I cringed. I was not happy to hear that and I do not think that demonstrators should be ridiculed or mocked at”.

His reaction is in relation to Power Minister's Dr Kwabena Donkor's comments on the New Patriotic Party's 'wᴐn gbo' demonstration held last Wednesday in Accra.

The demonstration was in protest over the current power crisis the country is facing.

Shortly after the demonstration, Dr Donkor said it was more a keep fit exercise for those who took part in the demonstration and that everybody needs a lot of exercise to be healthy.

He described the demonstration as the height of political opportunism and that the NPP is not interested in solving the crisis facing the country.

In reference to a similar demonstration held by some members of the National Democratic Congress during the Kufuor-led administration, Mr Ablakwa said demonstrators were offended when some Members of Parliament used the same attributions on them.

“When we were demonstrating, we got very offended and extremely hurt when we were ridiculed. We were told that we were hungry and we had no job that was why we were demonstrating. That was a very high insult that was heaped on us. It was totally uncalled for”.

He said the NPP government used footage of their demonstration to back their argument to pass the talk time tax bill.

Mr Ablakwa said the minister's comment is regrettable and should not be repeated.

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