Investigate airlifting of Ghanaians to South Africa -PNF

The Progressive Nationalist Forum (PNF) unequivocally rejects the increasing segregation of Ghanaians on party basis. It started with the seizure of toilets, lorry parks, National Health Insurance Scheme offices, School Feeding Programme. It then graduated into insulting, threatening and ultimately beating of party and government officials into pulp to have their needs as party foot soldiers of the ruling NDC met.

We have noted with dismay the wanton discrimination in the distribution of the national cake in favour of NDC supporters and sympathisers, a phenomenon which is heightening the polarisation of the political space of Ghana among NDC and non NDC members. This is a dangerous situation for the unity and harmonisation of our dear country.

The recent airlifting of some 1405 NDC supporters to South Africa with the tax payers money is a reckless misuse of state funds. It is estimated to cost not less not less than GH¢6,000,000.00 to the state to transport, feed, house and entertain the fans in South Africa.

An air ticket is between $1000-1200. At $1000 per ticket, we the tax payers will be paying some $1,405,000 or the cedi equivalent of some GH¢ 2,000,000.00. An average hotel bill at this moment in South Africa is $500. Granted that most of the fans will be housed in hostels at some $100 per day, this will amount to some $140,500 per day for all the fans. If the fans are to be in South Africa for the duration of the first round matches, they will be staying for a minimum of fourteen days at our expense. This will cost us some $196,700 or the equivalent of GH¢ 3.0m. If the 1405 fans were even to be fed for only $1m, the total bill for their stay in South Africa will cost this state not less than GH¢ 6m.

This is a government that cares for its pupils who have to skip classes because it is the raining season and they have no roof over their class in Agogo. Mothers are dying at Ellebele because there is no health post to take care of pregnant women. The people of James Town and Osu, neighbours of the President have to attend natures call at the sea because there are no toilet facilities and if any, party cadres have seized them.

The good people of Ghana including the fans have been turned into a laughing stock in the international community with the refugee like handling of the airlifting of the fans, to the extent that they have gone days without food and have been stranded at airports in South Africa. The information the PNF is gathering is that the party is using this trip as a way of rewarding party cadres and that most of them do not intend coming back from South Africa.

We are calling on the President to set up an investigation committee to look into the shambolic handling of the transportation of the fans to South Africa and the embarrassing treatment they underwent in both Ghana and South Africa.

Secondly the government should do a full disclosure of the amount the state spent on sending the fans. To this effect, there should be a full publication of the list of the fans, the cost of transportation, feeding and lodging and entertainment.

We also are requesting a publication of the supposed philanthropist who chose to bear the cost of the last 405 fans and their linkages to the government if any. We also wish to hear the philanthropist indicate what motivated them to do what they did so we can determine if Ghanaians will be paying back at a later date in a different form.

Failure on the part of the government to do the above, we call the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to commence a probe into the saga.

It is however being reiterated that there are less than 20% of Ghanaians registered as members of any political party. The attempt by parties in power to therefore share the national cake on party line is a misnomer and will be resisted by any means necessary.

Signed Richard Nyamah

Spokesperson (PNF)