OPPOSITION THUGS ON THE RAMPAGE

A group of thugs hired by the beleaguered opposition groups in the country last Thursday disrupted commercial life in Accra when they embarked on a violent demonstration ostensibly to protest against the Value Added Tax (VAT).

The group assembled by an amorphous group calling itself Alliance for Change, however had as their aim the subversion of the NDC government through the instigation of soldiers and civilians to mutiny and rebellion.

According to security sources, dangerous explosives and other weaponry were seized from some of their organisers a day before the demonstration took place.

But for the intervention of the security forces and members of the ACDR, there would have been large scale looting and other forms of vandalism. Even so, the hooligans some of whom were reported to have been paid as much as C10,000 to partake in the demonstration were armed and actually provoked the security forces and patriotic forces who had tried to protect life and property.

In the event, five persons were killed and many others wounded. With the support of the military, the police managed to dispel the riotous mob.

Even then as late as 5 p.m., some of the drunken thugs besieged the Kwame Nkrumah Circle harassing drivers, pedestrians and the general public.

Not even police presence could scare off these rogues who were bent on causing chaos. They kept their evil vigil there till Friday. During the night they broke into shops and kiosks and looted merchandise. A number of them were arrested by the police for questioning.