Concerned citizens of Kumasi to stage another demo

Kumasi, Sept 28, GNA-- Concerned Citizens of Kumasi, organisers of last Thursday's abortive demonstration against Nana Akwasi Agyeman, the Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE), said they have planned another demonstration to take place on Tuesday, October five.

They said they would not rest until the government gave in to the call by residents of Kumasi to remove the MCE from office.

Addressing a press conference in Kumasi on Monday to throw more light on what happened, Mr Victor Owusu, their spokesman, blamed the police, particularly Mr Yaw Adu-Gyimah, the Regional Police Commander and Assistant Superintendent of Police H.A. Yakubu, who is in-charge of the Buffalo Unit, for brutalities on the demonstrators which was otherwise peaceful

He, however, expressed the appreciation of the organisers for the high sense of professionalism displayed by soldiers deployed on duty that day.

Mr Owusu admitted that the organisers did not initially submit the routes for the demonstration to the police for very good reasons and explained that they wanted to avoid the situation whereby the routes could filter into areas where it would not receive any support or be meet with a counter demonstration.

He said this happened in the "Kumepreko" demonstration of May 11, 1995 in Accra and therefore " we thought it prudent to guard against a similar situation in order not to play into the hands of our opponents and then be blamed for any violence."

Mr Owusu said the organisers, however, made attempts to give the police the routes on the morning of the demonstration but could not get the Regional Police Commander.

Mr Owusu said it is important to note that ASP Yakubu has been cited by Nana Akwasi Agyeman as a principal witness in the molestation of Dr R.W. Anane, MP for Bantama.

He said in the build up to the events of Thursday, 23rd September, the police announced that some machomen had been arrested in connection with the beating up of Dr Anane and Mr Dominic Pambour, assemblyman for Santasi.

"The police felt this was a significant action they took to calm the anger of the general public even though they did not mention the names of those arrested or published their pictures.

"We strongly hold the view that the said arrest was only intended to give colour to a bad case because the person at the centre of the drama had denied knowledge of anything of that sort happening."