The National Youth Wing of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has reacted to the three-day protest staged by pressure group Democracy Hub in Accra.
The group embarked upon a procession from Thursday, September 21 to Saturday, September 23 to the seat of government, Jubilee House, albeit unsuccessfully.
On the first day, all the protesters were picked up by the police but they returned to march – from the 37 Lorry Station to the front of the 37 Military Hospital – on Friday and Saturday.
In a statement on Sunday, September 24, NPP’s National Youth Organiser Salam Mustapha said he tried to know the reason for the demonstration but he found the usual rhetoric of politics.
“I tried so hard in the 3 days of the protest to take home the most salient reason and demand for the protest, but nothing concrete,” he stated.
‘Except for the usual rhetoric of fix the road, motorway, cost of living and other tangentials, which borders on politics.”
He conceded that it is not unusual to criticise government but the Akufo-Addo-led administration has done commendably well in managing the economy.
“It is okay to criticise this government. We are human and have flaws, but in terms of infrastructural development, youth employment and support, and investment in the digital economy, no government comes near this Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government.
“Yet, I understand that the current economic difficulties make it difficult to appreciate the vast improvement we have witnessed in this country under the Akufo-Addo government.”
He stressed that ” if not for debaucherous and uncanny politics, organising demonstrations with seeming mindset to cause chaos, then, it’s not far to see the remarkable efforts of this government”.
“It took this government to achieve the roll out of national identification, which is a critical element in the transformation of an economy. Today, we are in the era of Ghana Card and digitalisation, thanks to this government.”
For him, the government is fixing the economy and should be given time to do so.
“We are in difficulties, no doubt about it. But I can state unequivocally that all young people around the world share similar stories as we do here, though with varying degrees, but sufficiently, there’s global stress on us all.
“I have absolute trust in this government and the efforts underway to get us out of the woods. Let’s not forget that Ghana was the fastest growing economy in the world in 2018. This translated into jobs and reduction in some benchmark values, stable cost of living. This government has a track record of ‘fixing’ and will continue to do so.”
The NPP National Youth Organiser condemned the police action on Thursday, stressing that citizens are guaranteed the right to demonstrate under the 1992 Constitution.
