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I Stand For Demonstrations But Against Destructions

Feature Article I Stand For Demonstrations But Against Destructions
DEC 20, 2020 LISTEN

I have read and listened to the conversations around the essence of the various post-election demonstrations organised by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) across the nation as a remedy to draw public attention to their claims that the 2020 election was rigged in favour of their bitter opponent, the NPP.

Inasmuch as I personally feel public demonstrations in Ghana have lost their value due to the polarised politicking of national issues, i also reckon that it is within every individual or any organisation's right guaranteed under the 1992 constitution to protest or demonstrate LAWFULLY against what is perceived to be oppression or injustice in our societies.

Whether the NDC have a case or not in these demonstrations is immaterial and does not really interest me. What actually intrigues me is a growing concern and the sneering advice to people to stay away from such civil actions because the family members of John Mahama and the leadership of the NDC are not found anywhere around the protest grounds. My goodness, wherefrom this logic

Similar calls were also made by pro-NDC activist in 2012 when the New Patriotic Party burned vehicles at the Obra spot in Accra and organised all manners of protest to register their displeasure against the 2012 election results as announced by the EC. I remember clearly that the NDC then advised some Ghanaians to stay away and not join such civil actions because the children of then-candidate Akufo Addo wouldn't be part of such demonstrations.

The concerns should rather be directed at the security agencies to respect the citizens right to demonstrate if it is done within the framework of the law. Until a demonstration turns into destruction, security personnel have no business shooting at the crowd or mishandling demonstrators. Many of the deaths that were reported during and after this year's election came from the reckless discharge of firearms on people when better crowd control methods could have been used.

We must get two things clear, there is a vast difference between demonstration and destruction. The former is lawful and the latter isn't. When politicians ask citizens or the ordinary Ghanaian to go out and visit chaos or any form of destruction on lives and properties then we must raise the red flag and ask them to line up their family members who may be the direct beneficiaries of such actions to lead the way so we follow them.

However, if it about lawful demonstrations then such calls for politicians to have their folks lead the way is vague. Demonstrations and protest meant to correct the wrongs of society and to reform pathogenic systems to demand justice must be sprung from the people without necessarily being called by political leadership. Such positive actions needn't have to be led by the family members of politicians or sponsored by them.

You know why? because if we the ordinary citizens do not take our destinies into our own hands to reject the wrongs that can break the structures of our country, we will live within the threats of a shoddy democratic system poisoned by self-serving interests. By the time our nation is plugged into char, the family members of the politician wouldn't be here to experience such a collapsed society with us. We will be here, we do not have any place to go so we must lead the lawful demonstrations to right the wrongs of our endemic systems if the need be.

Iddrisu Fuseini

0240772436

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