#FixTheCountry demonstration brouhaha: The use of COVID-19 as a conduit for denial is no longer tenable

The havoc COVID-19 has wrecked on the world's population and its economies is the one that needs no elucidation to appreciate. I dare say that it has been tough for managers of states' economies than it has ever been in the 21 century.

In the wake of appreciation of the above fact, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo can be applauded on how he managed to pay all public workers' salaries without any hitches during the peak of the pandemic. Any other president could have come to workers with 'tightening belt' cloak in an attempt to reduce workers salary.

He needs commendation despite the challenges of the economy which is a reflection of the world economy owing to the emasculate effect of the pandemic. This should be construed without prejudice to other factors like corruption with has become identical with his government and of course any other government in the 4th Republic.

The decision to embark on demonstration by some genuinely disillusioned citizens came to many as surprise and was regarded as a non-starter by all well meaning Ghanaians and the Ghana Police Service at the peak of the pandemic ostensibly because of the fear that it would have ballooned the number of infections and render our fight against the pandemic fruitless.

Therefore that decision to stop all forms of public gathering including demonstrations initially was a necessary evil which underscored and prioritized protection of lives. It was a plausible idea because one ought to enjoy the right to life first in order to access the other rights including the right to demonstrate and the President's remarkable statement that he " knows how to bring the economy back to life but not the life of people" is a point of reference in this regard.

Could this argument be advanced to deny people their freedom of expression through mass gatherings and demonstration now? The answer to thus question is a 'Big No'. Does it mean we are out of the woods in respect of our fight against pandemic? Again, the answer is a 'Big No'.

The gravamen of the this delicate issue has gotten everything to do with the fact that government officials including His Excellency the President whose duty it is to chart a path that shows clear leadership by example have failed to live up to expectation.

We are replete with examples on many instances where they have blatantly contravene the COVID-19 protocols. The late Sir John's funeral is one of such occasions which usurp the powers that be the right to prevent people from massing up in a form of demonstration against what they feel about in the country of their own motherland.

Apart from the above, we are all privy to the way and manner, politicians campaigned in the heat of the 2020 elections and not a single politician was surcharged for breaches against the protocols of the pandemic.

Let it not be that there are different set of rules for government officials and for that matter politicians and ordinary citizens of this same country.

Yes! we are not out of the woods, yet the sheer number of breaches from people whom we are looking up to, make any attempt to convince people to disembark on demonstration ridiculous, unmeritorious, discriminatory and baseless.