Opinion › Feature Article       31.05.2008

Can Ghana afford the Uganda experiment?

Elsewhere on this page is the reported case of the repeal of a law requiring Ugandans to seek police permit before embarking on any demonstrations.

The constitutional court ruled that the law limited the public's fundamental right to freedom of assembly and association, and according to the BBC's Sarah Grainger in Uganda, the police would come up with excuses not to allow public gatherings.

Given Ghana's Public Order Act, which requires organisers of demonstrations to give written notification to the police at least five days prior to any demonstration, and also the bitter war of words that has characterised police/demonstrators' relations in respect of implementing the very provision, would you advocate that Ghana follows the Uganda example?

Are we ready to bear the consequences of a free for all demonstrations? And just how useful has the provision been in helping to maintain peace and order?

What are your views? Share them with your colleagues here.

Disclaimer: "The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect ModernGhana official position. ModernGhana will not be responsible or liable for any inaccurate or incorrect statements in the contributions or columns here."

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