A/R: NDC cries over toilet, toll booth takeovers

The Ashanti regional branch of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has lamented the taking over of toll booths, public toilets, and other public installations and state offices by supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Brogya Genfi, the regional Youth Organiser of the NDC, has said since the NDC lost power in the December 7 presidential and parliamentary elections, supporters of the NPP have been harassing members of the NDC, driving away a number of them employed by the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) and some other facilities including the Rattray Park, markets, toll booths, and public places of convenience.

According to him, this situation mars the beauty of the peaceful transition the country just went through and also violates the Transition Act.

Speaking in an interview with Chief Jerry Forson, host of Ghana Yensom, on Accra100.5FM on Wednesday January 11, Mr Genfi said: “When there was a change of government in 2001, several things happened during the transition process and that led to the introduction of the Transition Act. The act is supposed to direct how the previous administration hands over governance of the country to an incoming administration, but what is happening the Ashanti Region after the 2016 elections is nothing to write home about.

“We are witnessing seizures of toll booths, public toilets, and other state facilities by supporters of the New Patriotic Party in the region and I’m sure this happening in several parts of the country. This must stop because it does not augur well for the country. People who have been employed by the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly are being attacked by supporters of the NPP, yet the police are unable to arrest them.

“They went to the Rattray Park to attack people and nothing was done about it. What is mind-boggling is the cancellation of the [National] School Feeding Programme by the NPP. I don’t know the power they have to write a letter ordering the cancellation of the programme in the region.”