Ghana's #FixTheCountry protests at the halfway mark

Ghana’s #FixTheCountry movement has finally been able to hold its long awaited and much contested demonstration. The march, originally expected in May, was hampered by a policy injunction and it took a protracted legal process before it was allowed to take place. The conduct of the security services and the protestors, and any modus operandi for their interaction emerging from today, will be important risk indicators looking forward.

Significance – Vocal but peaceful

Thus far, the protest has taken place in a very boisterous and at times angry manner. But largely peaceful, despite a heavy police presence along the entire route. Even when the crowd confronted a line of riot police as they (the crowd) wanted to divert from the approved route, the police firmly stood their ground and the situation was peacefully de-escalated. Numbers are difficult to estimate, but at the time of writing (12pm, 4 August) the crowd is estimated to be around several thousand, mostly made up of youth though all age groups and walks of life are represented.

The protest was originally slated for 9 May. However, an injunction secured by the police on 6 May prevented it from happening. The organisers challenged this decision legally and it was overturned by the Supreme Court on 8 June. Another case at the High Court reached the same conclusion on 25 June. During these legal processes, 11 supporters of the movement were arrested and bailed for gathering outside the court complex and calling for the protest to be allowed.

Organisers met with the newly appointed acting Inspector General of Police (IGP, George Akuffo-Dampare) on Monday (2 August) to assure the police that this would be a purely peaceful demonstration. They also secured promises from the police that there would be a purely police (no military) presence with the aim of protecting the demonstrators, not to confront them. Given recent security events and the fact these protests are motivated by structural and cyclical phenomena, both sides’ ability to adhere to their pledges is an important matter for the risk outlook. See: Ghana protest turns deadly, and risks remain. Thus far (midday on the day of protests), they have.

Although the #FixTheCountry movement is intended to be largely anonymous, the Economic Fighters League (EFL) has taken up the mantle of dealing with the authorities and organising the march itself.” It has been calling for constitutional reform to remove the concentration of power within the executive branch of government. Other than that, the demands of the group are wide-ranging and not centrally organised. Primarily they fall in to three broad categories: an end to corruption; more employment opportunities for the youth and increased transparency in governance. See: #FixTheCountry: Ghanaians take to social media to vent building frustrations.

Outlook – Structural vs phenomenal change

The movement will continue online, calling for increased transparency in governance, job creation and a reduced cost of living. The willingness of Dampare to allow such a protest to happen and the peaceful manner in which it has been conducted thus far, increases the possibility that further and potentially frequent demonstrations could be held. However, in this context it is unlikely that they will be accompanied by business interruption incidents such as were witnessed at the #EndSARS protests in Nigeria earlier this year.

Even so, the government is somewhat at a loss on how to approach the demands of the protestors. EFL has helped in organising but refuses to negotiate with government officials so as to avoid appearing as if they may be bought. The broadly anonymous and apolitical nature of #FixTheCountry reduces conventional means by which the government’s may apply the carrot or stick.

Meanwhile, the calls for constitutional change from the EFL will remain but not necessarily under the wider umbrella of #FixTheCountry. Recommendations that line up with the demands of the EFL exist in the report of the Constitutional Review Commission that was released in 2011. Since then, no work has been done towards implementing any of those recommendations and we’re unlikely to see that process begin now.

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Photo credit: (c) Songhai Advisory

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