National Communication Team Member of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Padmore Baffuor Agyapong has asked some of his party members to verbally stop attacking netizens over protests, which started on social media with the #FixTheCountryNow.
According to him, the #FixTheCountryNow campaign is a positive call because they were voted into power to fix challenges the country is was facing.
Some unhappy Ghanaians are venting their spleens over what many describe as a failure on the part of successive governments to improve the lives of the citizenry.
Speaking on Happy FM’s Epa Daben show with Don Kwabena Prah “Fix Ghana is not an attack on the government. We were voted to power to fix the numerous challenges Ghana was facing. The schools, hospitals, markets, and the economy were the main problems why Ghanaians voted us into power. “
This is a good challenge for us because the ordinary Ghanaian believe we can fix the current problem that’s why they are embarking on such a positive campaign. We have to stop attacking these netizens, they are Ghanaians and they believe in us.”
Mostly made up of the youth, tens of thousands of posts have been made on social media highlighting some of these inadequacies.
Despite efforts by the government including the Nation Builders’ Corp (NABCO), National Youth Entrepreneurship and Innovation Plan (NEIP), and other commitments towards investing in the growing human capital, some Twitter users say the impact is not felt on the ground.
Dominant in the sentiments shared on Twitter are rising youth unemployment, dilapidated health system, skyrocketing home-renting structure, poor road networks among others.
“This is the right time for us to stand up and come together as one people to speak and let them [government] know that we are tired,” Joshua Boye-Doe, a social media user and initiator of the #FixTheCountry campaign said.
Coupled with corruption, erratic power, and water supply, the users say the development has compounded their challenges and made life difficult for the average young Ghanaian to make a decent living.
Topping the trends for the past 24-hours, the ‘#FixTheCountry’ topic has seen many celebrities joining the fray as part of an effort to hold government accountable in the areas to safeguard the future of the citizenry.
However, a group of some unhappy Ghanaians have served notice of a planned demonstration against economic hardships on May 9.
The group indicated that they do not intend to deliver a petition to the Presidency.
They plan to assemble at Independence Square at 8:30 am for the march to commence at 9:30 am then disperse at 37 Maxmart.
The march will proceed peacefully, and at a socially distanced pace from the Blackstar Independence Square Station, the organizers assured.
The group chose May 9th because “it captures the restless spirit of over 126 Ghanaians who lost their lives in the May 9th Accra Sports Stadium Disaster due to institutionalized incompetence and disregard for Ghanaian lives”.
Additionally, the protest is aimed at commemorating the 26th Anniversary of the Kume Preko Demonstration of May 11th, 1995.