General News of Thursday, 21 July 2005

Source: GNA

Low turn out at Tema wahala march

Tema, July 21, GNA -- Tema, the industrial nerve centre of the nation on Thursday had its turn of the "Wahala" march with a low turn out during the take off at the Twedaase park in Tema Community One as at 1000 hrs.
Members, clad in red clothing started converging at the park as early as 0800 hrs.
The march was led by Professor John Evans Atta Mills, former flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress and in attendance were leading members like Mr Kofi Tobobi Quakyi, Mr Kwamena Ahwoi, Mr Ato Ahwoi, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, Alhaji Ahmed Ramadan, Mrs Ama Benyiwaa Doe, Mr Danny Ofori Atta and Mr Kwesi Pratt.
Before the take off, Mr Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, a leading member of the Committee for Joint Action (CJA), organisers of the march which is the seventh in the country asked the people not to get discouraged by the initial turn-out.
He referred to the Techiman March, which according to him, also had a low turn out but later had an increased number of people in the end. The marchers were escorted by a team of police personnel made up of 20 officers and 90 men.
They then marched through the principal streets of Community one through communities four, seven, eight, nine and ended at the Mandela park at Ashaiman where addresses were delivered by the dignitaries with an increase in the number.
As the march was in progress there were distributions of flying cartoons on "Hotel Kufuor" and economic hardships.
The marchers bore placards with inscriptions "Say no to Kufuor's Golden Age of business", fuel prices are murderous, NPP down with political terrorism, Ghana is now a living hell, from Zero tolerance to full corruption and Kufuor's vain, vicious mysterious political tricks detected.
As they marched, observers and some traders gathered in groups to cheer them up while workers were seen peeping through their office windows to catch a glimpse of the "Wahalaians".
Addressing them, Mr Kwesi Pratt reiterated that the Wahala march would continue in the country until the NPP government puts a stop to its bad policies that has brought untold hardship to the people with its attendant unemployment resulting in increase in social vices.
He disagreed with the assertion that the world price of crude oil had increased and therefore fuel price cannot be reduced locally and said 16,300 cedis taxes on fuel could be reduced to help alleviate the suffering of the masses.
Mr Pratt called on all Ghanaians to join the CJA to fight against bad policies of the government, which remains adamant to their call. Mrs. Ama Benyiwaa Doe noted that the People Representation Right that would allow Ghanaians resident abroad to exercise their franchise in the country is likely to create teething problems.
She said Ghanaians outside are not familiar with the candidates at home, neither do they know what happens in the country, coupled with the fact that their numbers are not known here and this could be a recipe to cheat during the elections.
Other speakers included Mr Danny Ofori Atta, Alhaji Ramadan and Hajia Adama.