The Ghana National Union of Polytechnic students, GNUPS has condemned last Wednesday’s police brutal action on the ’Let My Vote Count' demonstrators and described it as an indictment on Ghana's democracy.
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Police must apologise for their 'attack' on demonstrators - GNUPS
"What we find intriguing, is the tactics employed by the police service in its defense, rather than apologizing to the whole nation for abusing the powers entrusted into their care on our behalf, they are on the media-high way justifying their unlawful behaviours"
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A demonstration by members and supporters of pressure groups, 'Let My Vote Count Alliance', 'Movement for Better Ghana', to drum home the need for a new voters register turned violent, after many people got injured and some were flogged by the police.
The police claimed the demonstrators violated agreements on the approved routes.
However, a statement signed by the GNUPS said: "For us as student activists seeking and advocating or the welfare for Ghanaian Students, we condemn the way and manner our Police Personnel handled the protesters who were on a peaceful march. The use of force on the protesters by the Police personnel is a tint on our democratic credentials and must be condemned by all lovers of democracy".
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The students have therefore called on the Ghana Police Service to come out publicly and apologise for their actions.
Below is the full statement:
The Ghana National Union of Polytechnic students wish to add our voice to the numerous condemnations over the unfortunate incident that befell some protesters and our country in their attempt to deepening our mounting democracy.
For us as student activists seeking and advocating or the welfare for Ghanaian Students, we condemn the way and manner our Police Personnel handled the protesters who were on a peaceful march. The use of force on the protesters by the Police personnel is a tint on our democratic credentials and must be condemned by all lovers of democracy.
What we find intriguing, is the tactics employed by the police service in its defense, rather than apologizing to the whole nation for abusing the powers entrusted into their care on our behalf, they are on the media-high way justifying their unlawful behaviours as if the law permits them to brutalize any citizen in the manner they did to those picketers.
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What has happened to the mantra we are to protect lives and properties? is that how persons find culpable under our laws are treated assuming they were culpable?,
As law enforcement agency, the worse we thought of them was to gather their evidence of any wrong doing on the part of the protestors and put them before court for contempt of court particularly when we are told the Ghana Police Service has procured a restraining order against the picketers.
We are by this statement urging the Police Service to publicly apologize to the nation, protestors and the casualties and pay the hospital bills of all the injured protestors so as to restore the confidence citizenry have lost due to this unfortunate incident.
In a similar vein, we urge all citizens and future demonstrators to as far as practicable corroborate and comply with the Police Service to maintain law and order.
Signed
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Joshua Tetteh
Coordinating secretary
0208956269
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