The Executive Director of the West African Centre for Counter Extremism, Mutaru Mumuni Mukthar, has criticized the Ghana Police Service for the arrests made during the recent Democracy Hub demonstration, stating that the situation did not warrant such actions.
Speaking on ABC IN THE MORNING, he emphasized that while the protest aimed to draw attention to critical issues like illegal mining, “the law enforcement officers did not require the law enforcement officers to arrest any individual at that point.”
Mukthar’s comments come in the wake of the arrests of several individuals, including the leader of the Democracy Hub, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, who was accused of inciting public disorder and leading road blockades in Accra.
Despite some public support for the police’s actions, Mukthar stressed that “what we are seeing appears to be the abuse of that duty by law enforcement officers. Some of these are needless acts, intended to intimidate citizens from exercising their legal right.”
He argued that the right to protest is fundamental in any democracy and that the police must ensure they protect this right.
Calling for a more tolerant approach from law enforcement, Mukthar added, “They need to act within the law. And in this case, they are abusing the right and abusing their office.”
He urged the police to refine their strategies and avoid actions that undermine public trust in the democratic process.
