An International Diplomatic Consultant, Farouk Al-Wahab, is of the view that Ghana can not experience the intense and chaotic demonstrations happening in some African countries.
In recent times, Kenya and Nigeria have seen citizens march the streets to protest against bad governance. These protests have seen demonstrators clash with security services leading to the death of some individuals with dozens sustaining injuries.
According to Al-Wahab, such kind of protests cannot take place in Ghana due to the absence of the youth. He also noted that the partisan politics in the country would deter such protests from happening.
Speaking on Oman FM, he said, “There is no youth in Ghana. We have mature adults. The mature adults are divided in two political settings. NPP adults and NDC adults. An unemployed NPP youth would rather prefer to keep it that way than join the opposing side and vice versa.”
Millions of residents in northern Nigeria have been placed under 24-hour curfews amid nationwide protests against the high cost of living.
Governments in the states of Kano, Jigawa, Yobe and Katsina have ordered locals not to leave their homes – and therefore not attend protests – on Friday.
The authorities say the curfew is necessary because “hoodlums” have hijacked the protests in order to loot and vandalise properties.
There is a heavy security presence around the country with nine more “days of rage” scheduled by the movement’s organisers.
On the first day, demonstrations in the northern city of Kano drew the largest crowds.
Police fired live bullets and tear gas – and sprayed hot water – to try and disperse thousands of demonstrators. Three people were shot dead and many others were injured.
Looters also broke into a warehouse near the Kano governor’s house and police say 269 people have since been arrested with the recovery of many 25-litre groundnut oil cartons and other items taken.
According to rights group Amnesty International, 13 protesters across Nigeria were killed by security forces on the first day of the protests.