Opposition to rock nation on 25 November

Accra (Greater Accra) 5 Nov ?99

Four opposition political parties on Thursday postponed their joint demonstration originally scheduled for 4 November, to 25 November.

The intended demonstration was to draw attention to what they called ''the government's lack of policy direction.''

This was contained in a statement signed by four parties and read at a press conference by Mr Peter Kpordugbe, Interim Chairman of National Reform Party (NRP). The others are the New Patriotic Party, Peoples National Convention and the Convention Party.

The UGM was represented, but was not a signatory to the document.

Dr Edward Mahama, presidential candidate for PNC, Mr S.A. Odoi-Sykes, chairman of NPP and Mr Felix Amoah, chairman of CP, were present and signed for their parties.

The parties said they were jointly organising the demonstration because the problems confronting the country are of national dimension." Our parties are co-operating to initiate mass action to protect democracy.

"We relish the opportunity of open and fair competition against each other and against the NDC in 2000.

"It is in order to preserve the possibility of such an orderly transition from NDC rule that we are working together today".

The parties said they would meet any counter demonstration squarely although they would wish that their action would be peaceful.

The opposition parties said it was not their duty to find solutions to the nation's problems when they are not the ones in power, adding: "we cannot give promises that we cannot fulfil."

The parties demanded that the government should initiate greater consultation and openness in the policy formulation and implementation process and should withdraw the increases in hospital user fees.

They also asked for the "immediate withdrawal of increases in University academic user fees for the 1999 -2000 academic year and the institution of a democratic process for determining how tertiary education will be funded in the years to come".

The demands are that a freeze should be put "on all layoffs and redundancies in the public sector including layoffs and redundancies associated with the divestiture of SOEs and to stabilise ex-pump price of petroleum products by reducing petroleum taxes.

They however admitted that meeting of those demands might not necessarily improve the quality of life for Ghanaians but "it will however demonstrate a basic sensitivity to the hardship and create an environment in which the kind of collective rethink of our economy the government is calling for possible".

They declared "we shall continue after this date to mobilise the people of Ghana to protest against the mismanagement of the national economy, corruption and the hardship imposed on them if government fails to meet these basic demands."