Mahama Backs Demo Against US Military Deal...Condemns Koku's "Arrest"

Former President John Mahama has backed the demonstration dubbed 'Ghana First' organised against the ratified Ghana-U.S. defence cooperation agreement.

The demonstration which is taking place today, Wednesday, 28 March 2018, is being led by former government officials including former vice president Kwesi Amissah-Arthur among others.

In support of this action, Mahama, who is currently in Sierra Leone as an election observer, wrote on his Facebook wall condemning the high handed police response to innocent citizens at the CID Headquarters yesterday when the deputy general secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Koku Anyidoho was arrested.

"As a party that prides itself in the non-criminalization of speech, with a self-acclaimed human rights activist as President, the arrest of K. Anyidoho with armed men in the middle of a press event is obviously disproportionate. Moreso, the high-handed police response to innocent citizens waiting at the CID HQ is condemnable," he wrote.

The former president further added a tweet: "I join in declaring #GhanaFirst as my compatriots and other democratic forces converge to demonstrate their opposition to the Ghana/US military agreement".

Meanwhile, Ghanaians are divided over Mr Anyidoho’s comments. While some argue he is not the first person to have made such comments, and, should, therefore, be set free, others believe he should be punished to serve as a deterrent to others.