Police Ban On Demo: "We Are All Sitting Like A Bunch Of Cowards Across The Divide..."

Managing Editor of the New Crusading Guide newspaper has stated categorically that the Ghana Police Service did not go for a �constitutional order� from court, giving them the right to place an injunction on all demonstrations in the country. You may recall that the Police a few months ago placed a ban on demonstrations until the Supreme Court has completed proceedings and the final verdict have been given. According to them, they are short of personnel and so will not be able to offer protection to any group that wants to embark on a demonstration. Contributing to panel discussions on Wednesday�s edition of "Kokrokoo" programme, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako was of the view that the police service, �have not gone to court to collect a court order placing virtual ban on demonstrations�. According to Kweku Baako, the police�s ban on demonstrations was �absolute lawlessness�. This issue came up again when Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Kofi Adams indicated on the same platform that the police service have put measures in place to ensure that the peace in the country is maintained, adding, that was one of the reasons for placing a ban on demonstrations; so that they will be well focused in ensuring security. In response, Kweku Baako said: �Assuming they have gone to court to seek an order on a particular demonstration, does it apply to all demonstrations? If there is good in what the police are doing, they should proceed to the appropriate forum and get the proper order... We are looking for constitutional order...if the police think that based on intelligence, any demo will create problems...that they can�t control demonstrations as required by law, where did they have to go and seek that authority; not the court...that is how you build a law-governing society (going for the appropriate order)�. He bemoaned of Ghanaians inability to question the action of the police but rather accepted it as normal, indicating, �you the institution of state (police) cannot embark on the path of lawlessness as a way of infusing law in the society. But we are all sitting like a bunch of cowards across the divide and we have rationalized the issue. That is how we build dictators�.