‘Arise Ghana’ mayhem Police victims undergo surgery

The Ghana Police Service has confirmed that two out of 15 personnel that got injured during Tuesday’s ‘Arise Ghana’ demonstration are currently undergoing surgery at the Police Hospital in Accra.

According to the Police, the rest of its personnel who sustained various degree of injuries are also undergoing treatment at the same facility.

“The number of officers who were injured during the first day of the Arise Ghana demonstration increased from 12 to 15, all the officers are being treated at the police hospital with two undergoing emergency surgery,” the Police said in a statement yesterday.

Gratitude

The Service expressed gratitude to the Minister of Interior, Ambrose Dery ,for visiting the injured officers.

“We are grateful to our sector Minister, Hon. Ambrose Dery, Minister for the Interior, for leading a team to visit the officers at the hospital. The Police Administration wishes to express its appreciation to members of the public for their show of love and support for the affected officers,” it added.

Earlier, a statement from the Police said twelve personnel sustained injuries from the attacks by the protestors, while they arrested three protesters for their involvement in the mayhem.

A statement signed by Chief Superintendent Ansah-Ankrofi pointed out that without any provocation, the demonstrators began pelting the police with stones.

According to her, the twelve officers who sustained various degrees of injuries were initially treated at the Police Mobile Hospitals, and later transferred to the Police Hospital for further treatment.

Disregard for rules

Reports further revealed that the demonstrators, violating the rules of engagement, insisted on using unapproved routes.

The Police, bent of following the orders a court had given, denied them access, culminating in a standoff in which the riotous crowd decided to stampede the Police.

Organisers of the ‘Arise Ghana’ demonstration had said that the motivation was to protest “persistent and astronomical hikes in fuel prices” and their attendant “excruciating economic hardships on Ghanaians” and the ‘imposition’ of E-Levy on citizens.

Additionally, it accused government of supervising grabbing of state lands by officials. It is also in protest against increased “police brutalities and state-sponsored killing of innocent Ghanaians.”