Pro-government pressure group, Fixing the Country Movement, has said it noted with serious concern the ‘extreme’ acts of hooliganism displayed by members of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), supporters of Candidate John Dramani Mahama at the premises of his office on Thursday, November 23, 2023.
The group said in outright disrespect and contravention of the directives by the Ministry of National Security to call off the demonstration against former President John Mahama over the Airbus Scandal, his supporters massed up at his office armed with cutlasses, knives, cudgels and other dangerous implements in an empty and worthless show of machismo even when the security agencies had warned against any gathering.
It added “More shocking is the fact that the former President and his staff encouraged the gathering for hours, failing to disperse them when it was obvious a clash with an opposing group could cause mayhem. Even more disturbing was the violent actions of these hooligans and hoodlums suggesting that their uncivilized behaviour and harmful threats were encouraged by the former president, John Dramani Mahama. If not, he would not have allowed these barbaric activities to take place in his office, breaching national security directives and without any prior notice to the security agencies. Since that unfortunate incident almost a week ago, Mr. Mahama and his aides who are quick to point accusing fingers at will, have not been able to condemn the actions of these mobsters and ruffians. They clearly were in support of such crude and unruly behaviour.
“The Fixing the Country Movement wishes to condemn the activities of these violent characters who were looking to scupper a peaceful protest by our group seeking to bring the investigation of the Airbus matter to the fore. Mr. Mahama and his team should bow their heads in shame for such despicable acts within the premises of their office. Is this the same man who aspires to lead this country again? Perpetuation of violence seems to be the forte of this man and his party and Ghanaians should never allow him another opportunity to hoodwink us.
“We call on the National Security Ministry to condemn the unlawful gathering at the Cantonments office of Mr. Mahama and caution that such brazen acts should never be repeated. Again, we implore the international community, civil society groups ,the Peace Council and the likes to condemn this unfortunate event in modern day body politics. Further, the movement beseeches the former president and NDC flagbearer to call his supporters to order immediately. Fixing the Country Movement wishes to commend its membership and sympathisers for responsibly heeding the order to cancel the Thursday November 23, demonstration. As stated before, we will employ all constitutional and legal remedies to ensure that the Airbus Investigation by the Special Prosecutor is pursued to its logical conclusion.
“Our leadership did a yeoman’s job by restraining our supporters, many of whom had already travelled to Accra ahead of the protest, from moving to the Cantonments premises to retaliate the blatant threats that were issued by these NDC party hooligans. The Fixing the Country Movement is setting the records straight and draws the attention of the security agencies to the movement’s resolution that, going forward we will equally face any group or persons who will organise any demonstration in Ghana against the government with the full force at our disposal. The right to demonstrate is not the sole preserve of John Mahama and his cohorts,” a statement issued by Covener Ernest Kofi Owusu Bempah Bonsu.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo also condemns the act when he was speaking at the Valedictory Service for the outgoing Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana on Sunday.
Mr Akufo-Addo said that he hoped the persons who did that did not have in mind any attempt to cause violence in the 2024 general elections.
If that is the case, he said, they will not succeed.
“It is my honest hope that the machetes and weapons brandished last week at the residence of the NDC’s presidential candidate, former President John Mahama are not signs of things to come in the run-up to the 2024 elections. If it is, I can assure them that they will find no success with it.
“I want to state for the record that under my watch, no group of people, no matter their political coloration will destabilize our country nor destroy the peace that all of us are enjoying, it will not happen.”
But Mr Mahama responded in a tweet that President Akufo-Addo‘s comment was “is a bit rich, coming from a President who superintended the mayhem at Ayawaso West Wuogon and has not had a word of sympathy for the families of our 8 compatriots who died from state-sponsored violence in the 2020 elections.”
