FIXTHECOUNTRY DEMONSTRATION COMES OFF ON 4TH AUGUST

Organizers of fixthecoutry demonstration have updated the general public on their impending demonstration.

According to them 4th August, 2021 is a public holiday marking founders day and presents the best opportunity for the long awaited demonstration.

The organizers have been frustrated in the recent past as the Ghana Police Service secured an injunction preventing them from demonstrating. They however challenged the injunction in the Superior Court and secured a favorable ruling, giving them the green light to embark on their demonstration.

The largest opposition party had its demonstration today on similar issues ranging from insecurity to economic hardships. Many had thought that the fixthecountry campaigners would have joined the NDC for today's mammoth demonstration but a statement was issued by leadership of fixthecountry campaigners detaching itself and explaining why they could not join the NDC. For them, they are neutral and do not want to be branded as such.

The update given yesterday, indicated that organizers have communicated their intention to the Ghana Police Service as required by the Public Order Act.

See below, the update.

Press Update

1. Earlier today July 5th 2021, we submitted a notice to the Police for the first #FixTheCountry demonstratation. The date for this demonstration will be Wednesday August 4, 2021. As you are aware, 4th August 2021 which is the new Founders Day, is traditionally a Public Holiday.

2. The demonstration will be the first in a series of several planned Regional and National Demonstrations, being organized on the back of a string of consistent broken promises by successive governments. These demonstrations are part of several activities we have planned to ensure that the voices of ordinary Ghanaians provide a mechanism to hold elected officials accountable, and to improve the substance of our governance.

3. As you are aware, officially #FixTheCountry, has refrained from imposing on Ghanaians a list of undemocratically-generated demands, contrary to the habitual practice of several elite-led demonstrations. We are committed to a participatory policy. We believe that every Ghanaian must have their say and speak for themselves regarding what a Fixed Ghana will look like for them. Their voices are valid and they deserve to be heard. 

4. In connection with this, our team of volunteers, have started to analyse the millions of tweets, videos, other social media posts and discussions, as well as public discussions, which have been engendered by the Call to #FixTheCountry and we believe that we have started to see a consensus already emerging. We are noticing in particular demands for 

(i) A New Constitution that serves all our citizens equitably; limits the growing executive power and punishes the abuse of authority more concretely. A New Constitution for a New Generation. 

(ii) A New Economic Charter and Directive Principles of State Policy that is expressly binding; and which guarantees for every Ghanaian economic dignity; liberates them from poverty or economic destitution and secures for them the conditions to truly prosper; 

(iii) A National Development Plan which is adopted through a participatory process and which is expressly binding on all political actors in Ghana. The plan must tackle all sectors and areas necessary for the development of this country, including health, education, infrastructure etc; and must provide a legally enforceable roadmap to fix underdevelopment. There has to be genuine plan to #FixTheCountry.

(iii) A Framework for a National Healing and Reconciliation Process where every day Ghanaians can tell their own stories of abuse, neglect and injustice in their own words; stories of how the culture of impunity that has followed us from the dark days of dictatorship into this democracy; and how much they continue to suffer under what they believe to be a false democracy. We need to heal, before we can learn to trust. 

5. As a social movement, we believe that further conversations are needed to expand the scope of these demands, and to fine-tune them. We are confident that the process must happen through a national, regional and local level dialogue on FixTheCountry. At this stage, our view is that these demands are achievable. And that if achieved, people will start to rediscover their faith in Ghana and to renew their commitment to making Ghana succeed.

About the Demonstration: Know Your ABCs

A. We will be putting out the routes of the demonstration shortly.

B. The Organizers have developed a procedure for making the demonstration COVID safe.  In the coming days we will be providing daily and weekly information on what protestors should know/do on the day. 

C. This is going to be a safe and peaceful demonstration. We know that after the unfortunate events in Ejura and Wa, several of us are shaken and afraid. We assure you that this event will be safe and secured, and we will put in place such mechanisms to ensure public safety.