Trade Fair Demolition is Cowardice Driven By Akufo-Addo's Vindictiveness, Nepotistic – NDC

The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has described as “the bizarre and capricious" the application of state power by the Akufo-Addo government in the victimisation of political opponents.

This follows particularly in the recent case of the midnight demolition of Raymond Archer’s industrial printing press and that of a few others at the Trade Fair, La”.

The $10-million factory was one of 21 companies bulldozed by the Ghana Trade Fair Company to pave the way for a redevelopment project.

Mr Archer has claimed there was an impending injunction served on the company as of the time of the demolition exercise.

In a statement signed by the General Secretary of the NDC, the party said: “The offices and factory of Color Planet Ltd, one of the largest industrial printing firms in Ghana owned and operated by ace investigative journalist Mr Raymond Archer, formerly of the Enquirer newspaper, was razed by an excavator operated by heavily armed national security operatives and uniformed police officers”.

The party said: “This is clearly an act of cowardice driven by Akufo-Addo’s insatiable desire for vindictiveness and nepotistic totalitarianism”, adding: “This demolition exercise constitutes an act of economic brutality targeted at a hardworking young businessman”.

“It is our considered view that this demolition forms part of a grand scheme targeted at destroying all businesses with some form of perceived leanings to the National Democratic Congress”, the NDC said.

The party noted: “We have witnessed the unlawful closure of financial institutions, radio stations, media houses, construction companies and several other local businesses”.

“This follows a similar application of impunity in the unlawful demolition of a 4-bedroom house belonging to Mr Mustafa Gbande, a former NDC Deputy Regional Secretary of the Volta Region by a team of national security and police operatives and a host of other such heartbreaking socio-economic rapture of peoples’ livelihood”, the statement mentioned.

“At this point, we are convinced these various acts of impunity by the Akufo-Addo government constitute an act of provocation against the National Democratic Congress and its entire membership. As a matter of urgency, we demand an immediate cessation of these acts of provocation and intimidation of innocent citizens.

“President Akufo-Addo must be reminded that when injustice and impunity become law, resistance becomes an inevitable duty of the people”, it warned.

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