A political science lecturer with the Kwame Nkrumah University Of science
and Technology has supported a call for an Arab spring to register
displeasure at current economic hardship been experience in the country. With
a greater mandate as Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic
Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Boasiako has sworn he will never rest until the
governing National Democratic Congress loses power. The 36-year old
businessman elected last January, is promising to replicate in the Ashanti
Region, a regime-changing uprising in Tunsia popularly known as Arab
Springs.
Speaking at a rally in the Ashanti Region, Mr. Antwi-Boasiako popularly
called Chairman Wontumi, said people in the Region are disgusted with
the capitation policy of the National Health Insurance Scheme piloted in
the region.
Under capitation, a pre-determined ration of health service will be
allocated to each Ghanaian to be used within a certain period. The amount
paid to the health service provider is irrespective of whether a person
would seek care or not during the designated period. The policy, government
says, is an attempt to cut spiraling cost of healthcare. The opposition,
however have nailed the scheme's problem as down to corruption and
mismanagment of a once healthy scheme into a a crisis-ridden one facing
imminent collapse.
"If [President] Mahama knows what is better for him, he will abandon this
capitation [policy]", Chairman Wontumi said.
In opposition to this policy, he told the crowd, "in a month's time, I
chairman Wontumi will call on one million to two million people in the
Ashanti Region to join a big demonstration for about a month".
He pleaded with chiefs in the region to ignore the President because he has
nothing good to offer the region. He alleged the President's brother,
Ibrahim jets off to South Africa every week fueled with tax payer's money.
"
"What the Tunisians did, We are going to do here in Ashanti Region; May
Chairman Wontumi never rest until the NDC is overthrown" he swore.
Commenting on the issue, Dr. Richard Amoako Baah said is legal to organize
an Arab spring; he said the current economic hardship gives support to such
move if the organizers see the move as the only means to resolve the
economic problem bedeviled the country.
"Is possibly to do it if he want to do, am sure, because as things get hard
people are more likely to respond to it. But the government is not in
Kumasi. If he able to pull it down and the government is made aware that
the public will not tolerate incompetent. It is possibly, there is nothing
illegal about that. I don't think is going to change much. Five years ago
did we know something called Arab spring? is possible. We don't know any
solution to our problem. I don't think it will change more but if he able
to do it, will make the government sit"
