General News of Wednesday, 5 May 2021

Source: starrfm.com.gh

#FixTheCountry: Don’t take demands of protestors for granted – Saani to govt

Security analyst, Adib Saani Security analyst, Adib Saani

Security analyst Adib Saani has called on the government to address the concerns of agitating Ghanaians to prevent any further escalation of their grievances.

The #FixTheCountry campaign which started over the weekend on social media was in protest against economic hardships in Ghana but was compounded by the fuel price hikes.

The government has since reduced the fuel margins by eight pesewas.

Speaking to Starr News, Mr. Saani advised against taking the demands of the protestors for granted.

He said, “obviously we have to improve the intelligence-gathering process, because like you rightly mentioned, some unscrupulous persons might want to take advantage of what is happening to go about their business enterprise as it happened in Nigeria in the End Sars protest.”

“You have some frivolous people mixing up with the protestors and engaging in acts of sabotage attacking businesses, pilfering, and all that. And we wouldn’t want that to happen that is why it is important.”

“Secondly, politicians would have to listen to the people. So, that is why we need to improve intelligence. I was particularly quite disappointed when I saw a tweet purported to be from the Information Minister still blaming the former president after being in power for over five years for what is happening. I understand he’s taking down the post, I’m sure some level-headed people had to call him and tell him.”

People are learning to hold politicians into account, they are learning to demand stewardship.”

Mr. Saani was of the view that “tempers would have to be made to cool by getting the politicians to accept that indeed times are hard, ‘but please bear with us we will do all we can to solve it.'”

“But if politicians tend to be in a state of denial, or keep blaming some other person who has been out of office for over five years now, then you see more people becoming angry because they will begin to think they are being taken for granted.”