Ofori-Atta’s press conference not convincing – Convener of #FixTheCountry

One of the #FixTheCountry protest conveners says they are unconvinced by government’s response to their activism.

According to Oliver Barker-Vormawor, it was disappointing for the finance minister to have chosen a day on which the citizenry was denied an opportunity to express the grievances through a demonstration to intervene through the press conference he held.

Speaking to Alfred Ocansey on the 3FMSunrise Morning show, Oliver Barker-Vormawor said claims by Ken Ofori-Atta, the Finance Minister, on Sunday regarding efforts made by government to alleviate the citizens’ plight are mere rhetoric and that it is also premature of him to have made extra promises which will further worsen matters and go to deepen the trust cracks between the government and the citizen.

“For me when we think about the intervention of the minister, we need to contextualize it. I don’t think people are at the point where they feel or are convinced that this speech alone does it. I think the people want something substantive in action.”

“I think for me that we are a republic of quick fixes, we always want to deploy quick solutions so everybody moves on, he makes a list of promises and I believe that it was premature. A lot of people have said these promises are broken promises and worsen the trust the citizenry have in the government”

He wants government to translate the listed interventions into action and believes “before we can get to the stage of the citizenry believing in state institution, it must take up the action of rebuilding trust with its people.”

At a press conference on the back of the #FixTheCountry uproar, Mr Ofori-Atta detailed a list of interventions pencilled towards getting the country on track.

He reiterated, among other things, a collaboration with Sanitation Ministry to improve water supply and Roads Ministry’s efforts to reduce congestion on the major highways.

He added, “We are fast-tracking the implementation of the $200million Jobs and Skills Programme to enhance job creation significantly.”

“This intervention is designed to facilitate new and expanded private sector businesses to employ a lot more people. This we believe is a more sustainable way to rebuild this economy instead of expanding Government employment schemes,” the Minister said.

The press conference was held while the protestors concurrently demonstrated on social media using the hashtag #FixMotherGhana.

While complying with a court order, the organisers have facilitated a virtual version of the protest dubbed #FixMotherGhana, a play on words referencing the commemoration of mothers on the same day.

Timelines on Twitter, Facebook and other social media platforms have been flooded with images and videos of aggrieved persons articulating their plight and the need for improved management systems by successive governments.

Speaking after briefing, the legal practitioner stated that countless unfulfilled promises by subsequent government renders the commitment s made by Ken Ofori-Atta on Sunday afternoon hard to believe.