Arrest officers of public institution who will organize end-of-year party in this broke Ghana — Group to Police

The New Ghana Social Justice Forum (NGSJF) has called on the Ghana Police Service to arrest any leadership of public institutions who holds end-of-year parties, citing the current economic crisis facing the country.

In a statement, the group's president Yahaya Alhassan said it would be a "national betrayal" for public institutions to spend scarce resources on festivities at a time when Ghanaians are suffering from high inflation and rising poverty levels.

"Ghana is with the begging bowl at IMF, among other reasons, due to the systemic loot and share by public officials," Mr. Alhassan stated.

The NGSJF listed the dire economic conditions in Ghana including inflation of 35%, an additional 850,000 people plunged into poverty, threats to withhold domestic debt payments, and delays to critical infrastructure projects due to lack of funds.

"We are by this policy document, reporting to The Ghana Police Service To Arrest Any Public Institution Who Disobeys This Noble Request, and continue with the frivolous End of Year Parties," the statement read in part.

It called for resources instead to be directed towards educational and social development projects, noting that "school kids are studying under trees without tables and chairs" and "kayayei hardworking, nursing mothers are embarrassingly languishing on the various streets."

The group urged the President, public institution heads and related organizations to cancel all upcoming end-of-year parties and act in the national interest.