A Deputy General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Boamah Otokunor, has called on President Akufo-Addo to review what he calls his “authoritarian dictatorial tendencies” that threatens the country’s democracy and continues to worsen the state of the security in the country.
There have been growing concerns about the use of the military for civil events that ordinarily should be handled by the police.
The incidents that have angered many include the killing of some Ghanaians during the 2020 election, the invasion of Parliament by soldiers, the latest killing of two persons, and the injuring of four others who were protesting at Ejura in the Ashanti Region.
The brutalization of some residents of the Upper West Region in Wa by some soldiers over a supposed stolen phone has also been widely condemned.
Otokunor in a Citi News interview at the NDC youth wing’s ‘March for Justice’ protest on Tuesday, July 06, 2021, said security in the country is fast deteriorating, adding that there is an urgent need for President Akufo-Addo to take action against “state-sponsored aggression.”
“The people are here in their numbers, and I think that should be a loud statement to the government. The cause that we are fighting for, is a universal cause that transcends age. We are fighting against state-organized killing and murder and citizens’ suffering,” he said.
He said the high turnout for the protest should be a wake-up call to the President and prove the NDC’s commitment to an improved and better security situation in the country.
“This should be a wakeup call. This should be a reminder that we need to change cause. President Akufo-Addo should review his authoritarian dictatorial tendencies that he has brought bare on our democracy,” he added.
Thousands of members and sympathizers of the opposition Democratic Congress, NDC, are staging a protest in Accra over the killing and brutalization of citizens by various security agencies in the country.
The supporters, most of whom are clad in red and black, said the Akufo-Addo government is supervising a declining state of security in the country.
According to Mr. Otokunor, the state of security in the country has deteriorated, and there has rarely been a conclusion on any of the cases that are under investigation.
“The situation is so bad that you cannot sleep in your room and sleep in peace. Everybody is worried. People are dying. They are killing ordinary citizens, they are killing security officers. We are not seeing the end to these investigations, and the military and police are engaged in state-organized aggression on people. That is worrying, and the government must know that enough is enough,” the Deputy General Secretary added.
