Ahokyere Demo Hits Mills Tomorrrow

President John Mills faces the wrath of Ghanaians tomorrow as a pressure group, Young Patriots, hits the streets to vent its frustrations and disappointment over what it claims is the deliberate policy of continuous gas shortage, unbearable utility tariffs alongside the fast track return of the country to the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) status.

It is a demonstration President Mills would rather it did not take place, given the many challenges his government has faced in the past few months from even within his political grouping.

Eager to exercise their constitutional rights, there is however no stopping the Young Patriots who recently warned the NDC to stop the politics of insults lest they meet them boot for boot.

In a statement signed by Richard Nyamah, Daniel Nii Kwartei Titus-Glover, Hopeson Adorye and Asamoah-Gyamfi, the Young Patriots said the highlight of the demonstration, 'Ahonkyere Na Double Double', which commences tomorrow at the Obra Spot, Kwame Nkrumah Circle, would be the presentation of a petition to the President at the Castle, a standard procedure for demonstrators.

The demonstration is open to both the youth and the old including taxi drivers and others for whom the times are unbearable in the country.

"The Young Patriots are inviting all the youth and well-meaning Ghanaians to demonstrate against the astronomical cost of living in Ghana, the deliberate policy of constant gas shortages, unbearable utility tariffs, the fast track return of Ghana to HIPC status and the unmatched high levels of corruption of the NDC government being supervised by President Mills and Vice President Mahama."

The energy sector, since the coming of President Mills in 2009, the statement pointed out, "has seen some major retrogressions among which are the constant shutdown of TOR which costs Ghana $ 1million a day when it shuts down".

It added that the shutdown had led to a crisis in the gas sector, with government agreeing to increase taxes on gas and also to introduce foreign chemicals to make it difficult for commercial drivers to use the product.

This, the group stressed, "is a vindictive approach to solving the country's energy needs".

The over $1b West African Gas Pipeline, the Young Patriots stated, was commissioned by President John Agyekum Kufour to supply gas from Nigeria to Ghana and other West African countries but the project had been abandoned by President Mills.

Ghana, it said, was today one of the most expensive places in Africa to live, courtesy President Mills and his mismanagement of the Ghanaian economy.

It pointed out that a gallon of petrol cost GH¢ 3.80p in December 2008, but less than three years on, it costs GH¢ 7.00; an 'olonka' of gari cost 80Gp in 2008 and it costs GH¢ 2.50 today, adding that a 50kg bag of rice which was GH¢ 45.00 now costs GH¢ 90.00.

The foregone, it said, was against the backdrop of what for them was voodoo statistics regarding inflation rates.

The display of gross incompetence by the President and his ministers, their continuous mismanagement of the Ghanaian economy and constant acts of corruption and opulent lifestyle, the group stated, had left them with no option "than to hit the streets to display our frustrations and our misery under President Mills. We will as part of the demonstration deliver a petition to President Mills at the Castle Osu."

President Mills has witnessed a number of demonstrations since assuming power close to three years ago, all themed on the increasing cost of living in the country.