Top officers of the National Security Ministry have reportedly intervened to stop the leadership and members of the ‘Fixing The Country Movement’ from going ahead with their planned picketing of former President John Mahama’s Labone office.
This is over their demand for more action by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) on the Airbus scandal.
The Ministry, according to reliable sources, see the action as setting a dangerous precedent for protests being organised at private offices of individuals even if they are seeking public office.
To this end, the Ministry met with the leader of the Movement, Ernest Owusu Bempah, and other members and impressed upon them not to carry out the exercise.
“Following extensive engagements between the Ministry and the leadership of the ‘Fixing the Country Movement,’ ahead of their planned demonstration on Thursday, November 23, 2023, it has been agreed that the said demonstration be called off.
“This is over threats it poses to the security of the State”, a source at the National Security Ministry said.
“Consequently, the general public is directed to desist from convening for the purposes of staging any such demonstration.
“Law enforcement officials shall be deployed to designated routes on the scheduled day of the demonstration to ensure strict adherence to the directive” the source further disclosed.
‘Fixing the Country Movement’ has notified the police of their intention to exercise their constitutional rights under Article 21(1)(d) and (f) of the 1992 Constitution to picket at the office of the former President on October 16, 2023.
The group subsequently rescheduled the event to Thursday, November 16, and again to Thursday, November 23.
According to the convener, the planned protest was intended to reflect the group’s antipathy towards the laid-back attitude of authorities investigating the Airbus corruption saga.
That, Mr Mahama has a lot of questions to answer and the scandal cannot be swept under the carpet.
Also, the Movement believes in public accountability and wants to reiterate the point that no one is above accountability.