"March for Survival": Tomorrow is D-Day

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has announced its intention to go on demonstration dubbed: "March For Survival", tomorrow to bring to the fore the plight of the ordinary Ghanaian, whose living condition keeps on deteriorating under the present government.

Mr John Mahama, Director of Communications of the NDC, who was speaking at a press conference to announce the party's intention, said since January 2003 when the NPP announced the nearly 100 per cent increase in petroleum prices, life has become most unbearable for the average Ghanaian family.

"It has been calculated that in the four-month period between January and April 2003, the cost of living has doubled for the ordinary Ghanaian.

Many Ghanaian families have been reduced to eating only one meal a day, consisting mainly of kenkey and pepper without fish," he said.

Mr Mahama said all the NPP Government offered to mitigate the hardship was a meagre 28 per cent increase in the daily minimum wage and a very insignificant increase in the salaries of public sector employees.

He said there were clear and conspicuous signs of opulence and extravagance on the part of NPP appointees and functionaries as well as the party itself and yet they continued to urge ordinary Ghanaians and workers to tighten their belts, adding that " the profligacy of the NPP Government continues unabated.”

"Within two years of assuming office, the NPP has acquired so much wealth as to be able to purchase four-by-four pick-ups for its offices and constituencies," he alleged, adding that "perhaps, it is its newly acquired wealth that makes the NPP Government oblivious of poverty, rising unemployment and social deprivation all round".

Mr Mahama said in the midst of all the suffering, President John Agyekum Kufuor and his NPP Government continue to pat themselves on the back and delude themselves into thinking that their victories in the recent by-elections are an expression of support for the hardship they have brought upon the people.

"In December 2004, they will get to know the true feeling of Ghanaians. Until then, we must tell the NPP to get off its high horse to face the harsh realities on the ground, some of which they are trying very hard to hide from Ghanaians," he said.

Mr Mahama accused the NPP government of shamefully corrupting the democratic process by dangling favours as a ploy to shut up otherwise critical voices and resorting to intimidation and political blackmail.

It said the existence of a vibrant opposition is a sine qua non in every genuine democracy but in a country where democratic opposition exists only in name; and where the "rule of law" serves as a convenient smokescreen for the persecution of political opponents, democracy is a sham as the ruling party acts with impunity and reckless disregard to the fundamental democratic norms.

He said the NPP Government is hiding behind the veneer of democracy and the rule of law to subject NDC members, supporters and sympathisers to cruel treatment, harassment and intimidation, adding that the lawyers of the party are studying the Fast Track High Court's judgement in the Quality Grain trial with the view to appealing against it.

NDC Gets Permit but Police Suggest New Routes

The police has granted a permit for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) demonstration dubbed “March for Survival” scheduled to take place next Tuesday. However, the police refused the routes proposed by the party.
A letter signed by Assistant Commissioner of Police, N. K. Boakye says the party’s proposed route for the March will not be suitable to the police.
Mr Boakye explained that the Accra Central business district and the road leading to Wato Club, are usually congested and will pose a problem for the massive crowd control.
The new routes is from Kwame Nkrumah Circle to Farisco traffic lights, through the TUC to Ministries and its environs and finally to the Hearts of Oak training Park near the High Street have been suggested by the police.
NDC Deputy General Secretary, Operations, B. A. Zeideng who received the letter says the party is yet to respond.