Presidential staffer Dennis Miracles Aboagye has stated that members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), who invaded the studios of UTV, are not to be labeled as thugs. He emphasized that these NPP supporters did not engage in violent acts, attack UTV staff, or cause damage to the station's property.

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Mr Aboagye compared them to the #OccupyJulorbiHouse demonstrators, stating that the key distinction was the lack of prior notification to the Ghana Police Service regarding their actions.“They are not hoodlums. They are identified individuals in the party leading their various constituencies… The only difference between them and the 37 occupiers (#OccupyJulorbiHouse demonstrators) is that they didn’t notify the police.

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That is the only difference.“Those who did the #OccupyJulorbiHouse were they thugs. I think sometimes we shouldn’t cloud the substance with some of these descriptions. They were wrong; they were not supposed to have done it… But come on, we can’t superimpose descriptions and identities based on how we feel,” he said.

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Mr Aboagye, who serves as the Executive Secretary of the Inter-Ministerial Coordination Committee on Decentralisation, emphasized that the NPP supporters involved were identified individuals within the party responsible for various constituencies. He further clarified that they didn't engage in destructive behavior or damage any property during the incident.

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Mr Aboagye conveyed that he had spoken to the individuals involved, and they expressed regret for their actions, committing not to repeat such behavior in the future.The incident at UTV occurred when some aggrieved NPP sympathizers disrupted the United Showbiz program, leading to condemnation from various quarters, including political parties, media, and civil society organizations.

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CCTV footage was released by UTV, depicting the rough treatment of their technical staff by the group that stormed the station. The NPP supporters' actions were driven by demands for fair representation of the government and a halt to what they perceived as unfair attacks on the president and government officials. Subsequently, sixteen individuals were arrested in connection with the invasion and have been released on bail.

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CCTV footage of npp thugs invasion of UTV. pic.twitter.com/N2O0xwjhSb— KOJO DYNAMIC 𓃵 (@AnnanPerry) October 14, 2023

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