Protestors defy police order to hit streets of Sunyani on Friday
More than 1,000 protestors are expected to hit the street of Sunyani, the Bono Regional capital on Friday, December 10, despite the disapproval by the Sunyani Divisional Police Command.
The Ghana News Agency (GNA) gathered that the Sunyani Youth Development Association (SYDA) is organising the demonstration to register their displeasure over concerns of perceived neglect and under-development of the Municipality.
Though the Sunyani Divisional Police Command has turned down their request and asked the organisers to re-schedule the ‘demo’, the protestors is insisting that it is their constitutional right and nothing could stop them.
A letter, issued and signed by Assistant Commissioner Thomas K.K. Tindow, the Sunyani Divisional Police Commander sighted by the Ghana News Agency (GNA) said, “We regret to request you to suspend the demo until later on in March 2022”.
According to the letter, the command lacked the personnel to deploy on Friday, December 10, saying “all personnel have been detailed to perform day and night patrols due to Xmas and New Year festivities”.
“The expected participants in the intended demo had been pegged at 1,000 aggrieved men high above the few standby MTTD personnel who are likely to face traffic congestion on the said day”, it added.
However, a counter letter issued to the Divisional Police Command indicated, “having perused your letter, we wish to state that we still intend to embark on the demonstration because we see your reason assigned as untenable and for that matter, projecting our city to attract the needed development cannot be postponed”.
“It would be a great disservice to our people as they share in the sentiments of our call.
“Moreover, there is no guarantee that the staff strength of the Police would support the proposed demonstration in March”, a copy of the letter, signed by Atta Akoto Senior, the President of the SYDA and sighted by the GNA indicated.
As at filing this report, organisers of the event had intensified publicity on the airwaves in the Sunyani Municipality.
Meanwhile, Madam Justina Owusu-Banahene, the Bono Regional Minister has called on Sunyani residents and stakeholders to be decorous in discussions relating to the development of the municipality and the region as a whole.
“We call on all stakeholders to limit their discussions to the core issues, which are factual and verifiable and not to resort to personal attacks and vilifications of certain individuals and institutions, which may cause unnecessary rebuttals and potential threat to the peace we enjoy in the region”.
“The quest for development for the Bono region should, therefore, unite and not divide us”, the Regional Minister said in a statement issued and copied to the GNA in Sunyani on Monday.
There is a recent discourse within the media space on matters relating to the development of the Bono region, and Sunyani in particular.
Key concerns of stakeholders and residents include the need for construction of a new sports stadium, the completion of the Sunyani Airport, the completion of the Sunyani Center for National Culture Auditorium, and the completion of the regional Library Complex.
Source: GNA