NPP demo: We went to court to define route - Police

The Ghana Police Service has said it indeed went to court about the intended New Patriotic Party demonstration billed for Wednesday, but the aim was not to place an injunction on the protest march.

According to the spokesperson of the Accra Regional Police command, ASP Afia Tenge, a meeting between the leadership of the main opposition party and the law enforcement agency to agree on the route to use ended in a deadlock.

She said the NPP wanted to “alter” the original route – Obra Spot, Farisco Traffic Lights, TUC through Accra Polytechnic then to the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum and finally at the Hearts of Oak Park – but the police objected for security reasons.

ASP Tenge said “the leadership wanted to alter the route to use the Rawlings Park instead, but the police command said no, due to the commercial activities” it was not prudent to change.

“We went to court to decide the route for us since we did not receive any letter from the NPP to define the route they wanted to use,” the spokesperson said, adding they never went with an intention to stop the protest march.

“The court has defined the route for us” now, ASP Tenge confirmed.

“It is hereby ordered that the NPP abide by the designated route – Obra Spot, Farisco, TUC through Accra Poly then the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum,” the ruling, read by Tenge on Accra-based Joy FM, said.

The General Secretary of the NPP Kwabena Agyepong on Tuesday alleged at a press conference that the Ghana police wanted the court to block Wednesday’s demonstration, but were thrown out.

According to him, they have hard core evidence to prove their claim, insisting all is set for tomorrow’s protest march against the worsening power crisis.

“The Police went behind us to get a court injunction [to restrain us] but the court threw them out,” Agyepong said at a press conference Tuesday. “I have in my possession court documents relating to the injunction application.”

The flagbearer of the NPP Nana Akufo-Addo is expected to lead the march that is expected to attract huge crowd including supporters of the CPP, NDP and PNC.