PPP holds second anti-corruption demo in Kumasi
The Progressive People’s Party (PPP) held the second of its anti-corruption demonstrations in Kumasi on Saturday, with hundreds of people turning out for the event.
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Setting off from the Jubilee Park at Asem about 10:25am, the demonstrators marched through the Labour Roundabout at Asafo, the Asafo Interchange and Adum before cutting through to the PPP regional office, where the party leaders addressed the gathering.
At least 30 policemen provided security for the demonstrators, who carried placards with various inscriptions and danced to brass-band music.
The policemen had little to do as the demonstration went on peacefully, and at the end of the day, the commander of the Rapid Deployment Force in the Ashanti Region, Superintendent Chris Klomegah, who led the police team, commended all those who participated in the event for ensuring that it went on peacefully.
“We are happy about the whole exercise because they all comported themselves very well,” he said.
Addressing the demonstrators, the national Chairman of the PPP, Nii Allotey Brew-Hammond, said the rate at which corruption was gaining roots in the country called for a proactive action from the government to uproot it.
He reiterated the need to turn the office of the Attorney-General into an independent prosecutor’s office, separate from the Ministry of Justice.
That, he noted, would remove the office from the negative influence of partisan politics.
The national chairman said the government had not shown enough commitment to fight corruption and it appeared there was no hope in sight in the immediate future.
The Convener of the PPP anti-corruption coalition, Mr William Dowokpor, said the President needed to show interest in fighting corruption by implementing reforms that had the potency of realistically fighting the canker.
“The party is also calling for the election of metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives, as opposed to the current practice where they are appointed by the President, the separation of the Attorney-General’s Department from the Ministry of Justice, and an independent legislature to enable the state to effectively fight corruption.