YOUNG PATRIOTS
OF THE NEW PATRIOTIC PARTY

PRESS STATEMENT

“Ahonkyere Na Double Double” Demonstration-Tuesday 6th September, 2011

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 has seen some major retrogressions among which are the constant shutdown of TOR which cost Ghana $ 1,000,000.00 a day when it shuts down. The shutdown of TOR has 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 is a vindictive approach to solving the country’s energy needs. Please note that the West African Gas Pipeline was commissioned by President Kufour to supply gas from Nigeria to Ghana and other West African countries. President Mills has since abandoned the project, which cost more than $1b.

Ghana today is one of the most expensive places in Africa to live courtesy President Mills and his mismanagement of the Ghanaian economy. A gallon of petro cost GHC 3.80p in December 2008, less than three years on it cost GHC 7.00, an ‘olonka’ of gari cost 80Gp in 2008 and it cost GHC 2.50 today. A 50kg bag of rice was GHC 45.00 and it now cost GHC 90.00. A chamber and hall room cost an average of GHC 50.00 per month, less than three years on and the same room averages GHC 150.00 per month, a bag of cement cost GHC 9.00 in 2008, now cost GHC 18.00 these few examples have at least a 100% increase, this is against the backdrop of the government’s voodoo statistics showing lower inflation rates. Please note that while prices have increased astronomically over the period, real income has shrunk over the same period.

The Young Patriots are strongly against the recent increase in utility tariffs. Since 2009, there has been an increase in water and electricity tariffs exceeding 232%. In 2009 an official increase of 125% was sanctioned but reduced after civil society opposed the percentage increase however in implementation, customers had increases beyond 200% reflecting in their bills. In 2010 real increases in utility tariffs ranged between 30-50% . The recent 7% increase in utility tariffs only adds to the misery of Ghanaians as the government continues its hoax of accepting a lower figure while in real terms encourages higher increases for poorer services.

On the average, President Mills has borrowed $3.5b or GHC 5b every year since he took office. The worrying aspect of the loans being contracted however is the fact that, President Mills has taken the same projects to different agencies and countries and secured several loans over the period for the same uncompleted projects left by the Kufour administration. More worrying however, is the fact that out of the $10b plus contracted by President Mills, there is no single project that can be said to have been initiated or completed over the period worth the amounts borrowed. War ravaged Libya requires some $2b to reconstruct, Ghana a country of peace spends over $10b reconstructing nothing. The question to President Mills is where is the $10b he has borrowed? Ghana, it is estimated will be a HIPC economy by 2013 at this rate of borrowing, if we don’t get value for money.

Last but not least is the wanton levels of corruption the President is Presiding over. The President saw no wrong in his minister for sports travelling abroad with his girlfriend at the expense of the tax payer. Stan Dogbe, a Presidential aid supposedly spent GHC 1.6b on hampers for journalist, two months later, he takes his girlfriend abroad to deliver in the United States. She has since not returned after delivery and travels at the expense of the tax payer to meet Stand Dogbe whenever he travels with the President or the Vice President abroad. Mr Alex Segbefia, the deputy chief of staff has stopped all public auctions of confiscated vehicles since the NDC came to power. Information reaching us indicates he sells these cars through his agents who ship them to Togo or to private car dealers. The President’s brother, we are reliably informed contracts loans on behalf of Ghana amongst them, the recent $3b Chinese loan, we have cause to believe the President is a direct beneficiary of the commissions his brother, Cadman Mills gets on contracting these loans. This is a conflict of interest situation and an act of corruption by the President. The Vice President through his spokesperson, John Jinapor indicated that he had secured some $300m for SADA to take off; as we speak the money cannot be traced. Joe Gidisu, the minister of roads and high ways, has just been gifted a 7series BMW 2011 model (estimated at $175, 00,000) by a Chinese company working on the Achimota road.
The display of gross incompetence by the President and his ministers and their continues mismanagement of the Ghanaian economy and constant acts of corruption and opulent life style, leaves the Young Patriots 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. All Ghanaian youth are invited to come demonstrate and secure our future. Long live Young Patriots, Long live Ghana.

Richard Nyamah 0246-833-616
Daniel Nii Kwartei Titus-Glover 0200-737-197
Hopeson Adorye 0201-433-925
Asamoah-Gyamfi 0244-585-817