AFAG march, 25th jan 2012 -
On wednesday, 25th january 2012, ghanaians will have the opportunity of taking part
in a historic march to protest against the harsh living conditions under the
current Atta Mills"s administration. The march will be organised by the alliance for
accountable governance(AFAG) movement.
For sometime now, so may things have being going wrong in this country. Inspite of
the fact that the NPP discovered commercial oil and bequeathed tangible economic
prosperity legacy to Pres Mills"s admin, living conditions have rather deteriorated
sharply. For example a gallon of petrol now sells over 80,000 old cedis which is
highly unacceptable given that oil now sells at 110 dollars per barrel at the
international market ,and that even at the height of the oil price surge in 2007
during former pres kuffour" period, when the price of oil was 147 dollars a barrel,
a gallon of petrol sold just around 50,000 old cedis. Interestingly, it is not
only oil which is the good thing the NPP obtained for Ghana. They were all also able
to secure over 5 billion dollars debt -write off as a result of completing the hipc
program in 2004 and also over 2.5 billion dollars being further multilateral and
bilateral debt write- off (as a result
of the Gleaneaggles-UK arrangement in the spring of 2005). Simply put, the NPP was
able to save ghana over 7.5 billion dollars, the benefit of which will even be
extended to our children and our children"s children. Which govt since independence
has been able to secure this feat?. Certainly no govt comes any where close,
incuding this Atta Mills govt. Seriously, which NDC govt achievement even comes
near this?. None. Additionally, the NPP govt was able to secure grants
(outright dash) like the 545 million dollars millenium challenge facilty, which is
unlike the non -concessional loans the NDC govt is currently going for ( like
the controversial 3 billion dollar chinese loan which ghanaians will have to start
paying back in just 10 years from now). Also it was the NPP that initiated and
developed the West Africa Gas Pipeline Project that now brings gas from Nigeria at
40% reduced cost (compared to Akosombo) and feeds
the Aboadze thermal plant as well as the Asogli plant . Even the value of the cedi
to international currencies is at an all time low, with for instance, the dollar to
the cedi rate now at 1 dollar to 1.90 cedis. This is unprecedented and it has
adversely affected living conditions of ghanaians terribly. Ask any private
businessman, importer ,etc, and they will tell you the quagmire they find
themseves in.
Now, when you raise some of these issues about these unbearable living conditions,
some NDC apologists say the govt has done development. what developments? and which
govt doesn"t do development?.
After the NPP had saved the country of having to repay over 7.5 billion dollars(
which ghanaians should forever be grateful to the NPP for), and had also discovered
commercial oil for the country, who cannot do development. When for example
petroleum revenue from january to september last year, 2011, alone fetched a gross
1.9 billion dollars , who cannot do this so called piecemeal ndc developments?
And even here, we do no see any significant projects or infrastructure from our oil
money.
The above nothwithstanding, it is still not proper to compare the NPP developments
or economy to that of the NDC because the NPP did not have oil money but the NDC
has oil money and can affiord to borrow huge loans on the back of the oil wealth.
So NPP people should refrain from comparing the economies and developments of the
two regimes and move the debate to a more neutral and comparable area .
The only neutral area that will be worth comparing is govt corruption arena,
and here the Woyome matter alone in this NDC govt surpasses the combined
corruption of all the previous administrations. There are also a lot of
other serious due process breaches with the selection of SINOPEC to build the gas
plant in the western region as well as the appointment of CHINA HASSAN by govt,
which will be collecting not less than 100 million dollars to develop the sekondi
industrial estate( and all these breaches are associated with the controversial
chinese facility ) which ghanaians, as i said earlier ,will be coughing up the
repayment in a few years time.
But again, the issue of the moment is the wWoyome issue, where Pres Mills govt is
trying desperately to cover a garguantuan 58m dollar crime to the state, and this
is the essence of this AFAG march.
Now concerning the march, if you can, do physically take part, but if you cannot
because you are a civil servant or you will be out of town, contribute something
small or moblise some people in your locality who can make it to join the march. If
you can hire trotro for people , that will be very much appreciated. Also talk to
friends about it and just make it a point to be represented in the march.
A little sacrifice for a noble cause will not harm you. You may rather always be
proud of making history and contributing a little sacrifice to mother Ghana.
If for nothing at all , we owe it to our our family and our descendants . And
remember that the convergence point is at obra spot, Kwame Nkrumah circle and the
time is 6.am.wednesday 25-1-2012.
This is a national clarion call on ghanaians to stand up, and all of us concerned
citizens (when we hear it) must accordingly stand up and be counted.
Alhaji Adamu
AFAG activist
