Some demonstrating market women I the Upper East regional capital, Bolgatanga clashed with the police resulting in exchange of words and whipping.
Police say the demonstration was unlawful because the organizers failed to inform the police.
According the Bolgatanga Municipal Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Richard Anaba, he ordered the women to be whipped to disperse them.
“I ordered the women to disperse because what they were doing was unlawful. They did not notify the police, and granted that they had notified the police, they wouldn’t be allowed because of the presidential order against social gathering.
“We had calls that the women were massing up to march to the office of the Municipal Chief Executive, and so I led a team there and I asked them to disperse and stop, but they refused, so I ordered that they should be whipped to disperse.”
The market women belonging to the grain sellers group who were defying an order by the Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly to move to a place that has been assigned for them, so as to decongest their current location at the new market.
On Thursday, the assembly issued a letter dated May 7, 2020, signed by the MCE, Joseph Amiyuure, directing that some of the grain sellers at the new market should move to occupy some empty spaces at the old market so as to avoid overcrowding at the new market.
This decision, according to the letter was part of efforts to ensure that there is adequate social distancing observation between the traders, so as to prevent the spread of Covid -19 in the market.
The effective date for the implementation of the order is Monday, May 11, 2020 and the women in their attempt to ensure that the assembly’s order is not carried out, massed up, contrary to the president’s order against public gathering.
The affected market women whose action gave an indication that they did not care about the possible spread of Covid-19 through their gathering and also their disregard for the president’s order against public gathering, called for the removal of Joseph Atura Amiyuure from office, else they will vote against the New Patriotic Party.
However, residents were in support of the police action, saying that the women should have delegated a few leaders to meet the assembly with their petition.
From: Ebo Bruce-Quansah, Bolgatanga