Concerned Ghanaians fix March 2 for next demo

Accra, Feb. 23, GNA - Concerned Ghanaians, the group that is organising a series of demonstrations against the Representation of the People (Amendment) Bill, which was passed by Parliament on Thursday, has said the next march would be on Thursday, March 2.

"Our next demonstration against the (law) and the NPP effort to perpetuate itself in power by creating loopholes in our electoral system will go ahead on March 2, 2006," it said in a statement released in Accra.

"We call on all members of the public to join in a massive rejection of both (the law) and Police brutality and lawlessness," it said.

The statement was signed by Mr Bernard Mornah, Mr Adam Mohammed-Sanusi and Mr Alfred Lartey and for Hajia Barikisu Shardow. The group accused the Police of unprofessional behaviour during last Tuesday's demonstration that ended in violence after the marchers clashed with Police at the 28th February Crossroads. The Police fired teargas canisters into the midst of the Demonstrators, when they started to pelt the Police with stones.

"Our struggle against the NPP assault on our national constitutional institutions will be a long and hard one," it said, and called for solidarity among the protestors.

"We must stand together and sustain each other. We must become a movement."

The Concerned Ghanaians confirmed that 10 leaders of the demonstration were arrested and charged for violating the Public Order Act and lashed out at the Police for "this blatant abuse of Police power which is obviously intended to harass and disable our leaders". It asked all Lawyers, who wanted to support the marchers to contact Mr Tony Lithur or Lithur Brew and Company at Kanda Estates to help to establish a legal defence committee.

The Group said a Solidarity Fund had also been set up to cater for the medical needs of those maimed through the Police brutalities and the legal expenses of those arrested by the Police and urged contributors to make their donations at the National Democratic Congress and People's National Convention Headquarters in Accra.