‘Won Gbo’ demo: Akufo-Addo calls for “peaceful” march

The Flagbearer of the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Akufo-Addo has arrived at the Obra spot together with his wife Rebecca Akufo-Addo to lead the opposition party's march across the national capital, against the Mahama administration’s failure to solve Ghana’s energy crisis.

Nana Addo who was clad in black and red, the official attire for the demonstration, urged the teaming crowd to remain “disciplined” and ensure that they have a “peaceful” protest march at the end of the day.

Ghana is currently shedding between 440 and 650 Megawatts of power during off-peak and peak periods as a result of a production deficit.

The production shortfall has come about due to poor hydrology of the three main hydro-electric power stations – Akosombo, Bui and Kpong – as well as lack of gas from the West Africa Gas Pipeline in Nigeria to supply gas to various thermal plants in the country.

As a result, both domestic and commercial consumers are bearing the brunt of the crisis, which Power Minister Dr Kwabena Donkor recently promised will end by December 2015.

Apart from the power crisis, the NPP as a party has bemoaned the depreciation of the Cedi by “almost 300% since 2009 when the NDC took over the reins of Government,” General Secretary Kwabena Agyapong said at a pre-demo press conference on Tuesday.

“In addition, Ghanaians today are paying one of the highest pump prices for petrol in the world despite the fact that the world market price has plummeted to below $50,” he added.

Also joining the NPP for the demonstration are supporters of other opposition parties such as the CPP, NDP and PNC.

Pressure group OccupyGhana has also given its blessings to the ‘wongbo’ demonstration, which the NPP intends using to express the frustration of Ghanaians to President John Mahama about the current energy crisis.