CJA holds "Wahala" demonstration at Techiman

Techiman (B/A), June 8, GNA - The fifth in a series of "Wahala" demonstrations by the Committee for Joint Action (CJA), was held at Techiman in the Brong Ahafo Region on Tuesday, drawing more than 4,000 sympathisers. About 300 police personnel were mobilised to ensure that the five-hour long demonstration was peaceful.

A brass band accompanied the placard-bearing demonstrators, who danced and sang as they paraded through some of the principal streets of the thriving commercial town. Some leading members of the CJA including Mr Ofosu Ampofo, National Organizer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and former Member of Parliament (MP) for Fanteakwa, Ms Ama Benyiwa Doe, former NDC MP for Gomoa West, Mr Ben Bediako of the Egle Party, Mr Bernard Mornah, National Youth Organiser of the People's National Congress (PNC) and Alhaji Ahmed Ramadan, a leading member of the PNC and Mr Kwamena Ahwoi, a Minister in the NDC Administration, led the demonstrators.

Conspicuously absent were former President Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings, former Vice President, Professor Evans Atta Mills and Mr Danny Ofori Atta of the Egle Party. Some of the placards read: "National Service Personnel are suffering", "NPP stop this divide and rule tactics", " and NPP must reduce petrol price. God save us", "If GETFund is good why did NPP oppose it? "Kufuor beware of your serial callers", "Rent, electricity, water bills, etc are killing us".

The demonstrators later converged at the Local Authority Junior Secondary School park for a mini-rally. The speakers condemned what they described as the insensitivity of President John Agyekum Kufuor and the government to the plight of suffering Ghanaians.

They deplored "the long silence" by President Kufuor on the impasse between the National Association of Graduate Teachers, Ghana Education Service and West African Examination Council. They mentioned the furore over the purchase of a hotel by Chief Kufuor, President Kufuor's son and asked why an individual could be given billions of cedis as loan to purchase a hotel? The CJA has already organised demonstrations in Accra, Kumasi, Wa and Koforidua.