Workers urged to force government to honour electoral promises

Koforidua, June 10, GNA - The Committee for Democratic Movement (CDM), a pressure group based in Koforidua, has called on workers to insist that the government honours its campaign promises of providing a better Ghana for all citizens of the country. Speaking at a press conference in Koforidua on Tuesday Mr Ibrahim Seidu, the spokesperson of the movement, said though President John Atta Mills promised to sell petrol at affordable prices to enable Ghanaians to live better, six months into his administration the country had witnessed a 35 per cent cumulative increase in petroleum prices. He said the increases had been done without a correspondent increase in the salaries of civil and public servants, making cost of living rising "every hour, minute and second of the day" thus rendering workers worse off.

"We are urging civil servants, teachers and the entire labour force of this country to stand up against the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government and their deceit." Mr Seidu said. He accused the government of being inconsistent with its social democratic ideology by selling petrol at GHC 5 at the time when world market price of crude oil had dropped to 70 US dollars. Mr Seidu recalled that when the NDC was in opposition it accused the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government of being insensitive to the plight of the ordinary Ghanaian when it sold petrol at the same price when the world market price was at 147 dollars. He condemned the recent celebration of the June 4 anniversary and called on former President Jerry John Rawlings to stop pronouncing judgement on former Ministers of State and calling for their trial and allow due process of the law to take its course. Mr Seidu questioned the Foreign and Regional Integration Minister, Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni's continuous staying in office as after the Auditor General had indicted him and called on the presidency to explain.

He described the establishment of a Presidential Commission to investigate the Ghana at 50 celebrations as wasteful and unnecessary since the issue was already being investigated by the Bureau of National Investigation (BNI). During question time Mr Frank Annor-Dompreh, a member of the movement, said the group would use option available to it including demonstrations to ensure that government respond to their queries. The chairman of the movement, Alhaji Umar Bodinga, who is also First Vice Eastern Regional Chairman of the NPP, said the movement had no political affiliation though members could belong to some political parties.

He said the aim of the group was to contribute towards the democratic development of the country. 10 June 09