March For Survival: Peaceful & Orderly

Tens of thousands of supporters of the main opposition National Demonstration Congress NDC took to the streets today to protest against what they say are the worsening economic conditions facing the country. The demonstration was dubbed a ''March for Survival''.

The march did not only live up to its intended objective as a march to protest against increasing cost of living and the persecution of functionaries of the NDC, but also attracted the elderly in the party who defied age and the blazing sun to participate in the two-hour march.

The Founder of the party, ex-President Rawlings, the party’s flagbearer, Prof Atta Mills; Party Chairman, Obed Asamoah were among the large crowd who took part in the ''March for Survival''.

Those from the Council of Elders were Mr Harry Sawyer, Alhaji Mahama Iddrisu, Mr I.K. Adjei-Mensah, J.H. Owusu-Acheampong, Mr Kwamena Ahwoi and old men and women.

Prof Mills and Dr Obed Asamoah arrived in the same vehicle, ending speculation that Dr Asamoah will not participate in the March due to apparent differences between them.

The march which started at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle through the Farisco Traffic Light to TUC and finally to the Hearts of Oak Park near the Department of National Lotteries was peaceful and lasted about two-and-a-half hours.

The NDC supporters carried placards some of which read ''Where is the Positive Change'', ''Where are the jobs you promised us'', ''Who Killed the Ya Na'', ''NPP –Terror Government'', ''Do Not Betray Workers''.

Other read: "NPP Golden Age Of Corruption"; "Sahara Deal and IFC Are Financial Loss To The State"; "We Can No Longer Bite The Bullet"; "Broken Promises Galore 2004"; "Kufuor Prosecute Your Government Too"; "NRC Is NPP Tool" and "Kufuor's Government, Government of Disasters"

“We cannot pay hospital bills”, “God save your people”, “Food prices so high, bills so high”, “Democracy is the prime concern of the NDC” and “Positive change is deadly change”.

Others read, “judges, beware of being misused”, “State-owned media, NPP notice board” and “Where is the school fees you promised?”

Some of the demonstrators wore T-shirts that had the pictures of Mr. Ibrahim Adam, Mr. Kwame Peprah and Dr Sipa Yankey. The three have been sentenced to various terms of imprisonment "for causing financial loss to the state". The others were in T-shirts in party colours. The demonstrators chanted: "Aaye Fe Notse" (Cheating Heart); "J.J. Baahe Ote" (J.J. you have been proved right) and "Do Something New in My Life" as they went along.

There was heavy police presence along the routes of the march but the march itself was very peaceful. The Commissioner of police in charge of operations, Dr K.K. Manfo was full of praise for the manner in which the demonstrators conducted themselves. He told JOY FM that although the organisers of the demonstrators assured the Police that the demonstrators will be peaceful, personnel stationed outside Accra were brought in to forestall any eventuality but said ''I am very pleased, very impressed with the behaviour of the crowd''.

The former President was not expected to join the demonstration since adequate security measures have not been put in place to ensure his safety but he joined the demonstrators just before they took off at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle and marched with them to the final destination.

When asked why the former President decided to join the demonstrators, Special Assistant to the former President, Victor Smith said ''nothing changed. He decided to join it and that is what he did … that is what he basically did. You must not forget that President Rawlings carries a lot of charisma and there is no doubt that he drew crowd to the already large crowd''.

The ecstasy and euphoria of the demonstrators heightened at the various traffic lights. As the procession went through the streets, bystanders including civil and public servants, who have come out of their offices, cheered and waved; to which the Leadership acknowledged with gestures.

Speaking at the Hearts of Oak Training Grounds, where the demonstrators converged, Professor Mills said NPP had no heart for the ordinary Ghanaian. He said the demonstration was a peaceful way the people of Ghana were using to express their protest against the manner in which the government was managing the economy.

Prof. Mills said the hardships in the country showed that the NPP was fumbling in its handling of the economy. He stated that the government was running the country with utmost arrogance, which, he said, would not help strengthen democracy.

Prof Mills said the NPP was full of deception and it had demonstrated this in their inability to fulfil their electioneering campaign promises. "We are all witnesses to the hardship in the country and the devastating trend of affairs in the country," he said. He urged the rank and file of the party to work hard to strengthen the party to enable them to wrest power in 2004 elections.

Ex-President Rawlings said corruption had infiltrated all facets of the current government saying the judicial system had been tampered with, while the state of the economy was in a rather deplorable state. "We must be prepared to defy what we perceive to be wrong and put the right system in place."

Ex-President Rawlings said the NDC was committed to doing politics in the most principled manner, to bring relief to the good people of Ghana adding: "This demonstration signifies that as a party, we believe in peace, unity and stability." He asked Ghanaians to rally massively behind the NDC in the next elections so that the party could emerge winner.

Dr Asamoah asked the people to examine their lives and find out if the present conditions were satisfactory. He said if the people could not secure gainful employment; were without accommodation; not able to feed their families and were also not in the position to pay school fees, then it was high time they made a reasonable decision to help to better their lot.