? As residents defy boycott call

Techiman (Chronicle) -- ?They have failed, their plans to outwit us could not materialize.?

These were the words of members of the Committee for Joint Action (CJA) to the agents of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), led by the former Mayor of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, now Member of Parliament (MP) for Asokwa, Hon Maxwell Kofi Jumah, who was said to have been on the radio, a day prior to the Wahala 5 demonstration in Techiman, urging the people of Techiman not to partake in the demonstration.

According to CJA spokespersons at Techiman, Hon. Jumah, aka ?Kofi Ghana? was on the air at CLASSIC FM, a Techiman-based radio station, where he called on the people of the municipality to boycott the CJA demonstration, which was held Tuesday, this week.

They disclosed that the MP urged the people of Techiman to go to their farms or to the market so that the activities of the demonstration would be disrupted.

But this appeal of the MP and other agents of the NPP government was thrown to the dogs, as a large number of people emerged from their homes clad in red, with black bands to the Zongo L/A park, where the demonstrators began their march that took them through the principal streets of the town.

Almost everybody, particularly shop owners and bank workers, along the main Techiman-Tamale trunk road, stopped all activities and came out to show their solidarity with the demonstrators.

First to make the comments was Mr. Ofosu Ampofo, a member of the CJA and National Democratic Congress (NDC) national organizer. He was followed by other speakers, like Alhaji Ramadan of the People?s National Convention (PNC), Ben Morna, also from PNC and Mr. Ben Bediako of the EAGLE party and all members of the CJA.

Mr. Ampofo was happy that at the end of the day, the people of Techiman had realized the agony they were going through, hence their coming out to partake in the demonstration to protest against President John Agyekum Kufuor and his government?s handling of the affairs of this country.

According to him, it is the Ghanaian that can testify to the whole world how they are suffering, but not any other person or government official.

He said the huge crowd signified that Ghanaians are really suffering and could not bear with the high prices of petroleum products.

Mr. Ampofo stated that the deaf ears that President Kufuor is paying to the plight of Ghanaians shows that the NPP government is insensitive to the woes of the people who voted for them.

?Jak where are you? I am out of coverage area?, according to the former MP, was the best jargon fit to describe President Kufuor?s act of not listening to the calls of Ghanaians to reduce the fuel prices and to tackle other important national issues affecting the country negatively.

He told the demonstrators that J.H. Mensah, who comes from the region, sometime in 2000 told Ghanaians that the price of fuel at that time, which was ?6,400, was too high and therefore should vote against the NDC government, but today, the same J.H. Mensah has kept mute over the killer price of the fuel at ?30,000.

Mr. Ampofo disclosed that the Energy Fund, which was the factor of the high petroleum prices, meant to tackle issues concerning the energy commission in the country, was used by Kofi Asante and others to buy luxurious cars to the detriment of Ghanaians.

He reminded the demonstrators that the NPP promised to construct the Techiman-Sansama road, but had since failed to do so.

Another member of the CJA from the Socialist Forum in Accra, Granfadaa Ayitomeka, described the Kufuor-led government as a gang of liars, who are not transparent in their dealings at all.

According to him, during the electioneering campaign President Kufuor promised Ghanaians that his government would never increase fuel prices, but he could not stick to the promise.

Ayitomeka said this attitude of President Kufuor is tantamount to lying.

He told the people that the NPP government was toying with the lives of Ghanaians by playing politics with certain national issues, such as the strike action of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), which is affecting the SSS students, particularly the final year ones.

Baba Jamal, Deputy National Organizer of NDC, earlier in an interview disclosed to the media that the CJA would not stop the demonstrations, until President Kufuor listens to the plight of Ghanaians by reducing the fuel prices and other sensitive issues that are affecting Ghanaians.

Whether, the CJA has intention to form a coalition to unseat the NPP government, he said if it becomes possible to that they would not hesitate to form alliance to contest the 2008 elections.

Other speakers at demonstration were Mrs., Ama Benyiwa-Doe, Alhaji Ramadan, Bede Ziedeng, NDC Ag, General Secretary, Hon Alex Kyeremeh, MP Techiman North, and Hon. Addai Simmons, MP for Techiman South.

Also present were Ato Ahwoi and his brother Kwamena Ahwoi, I.K. Adjei Mensah, a former MP, Techiman North and other ranking members of the CJA.