Though the leadership of the Committee for Joint Action has consistently denied accusations that it is fronting for the main opposition National Democratic Congress, events at yesterday's 'Yewuoo' demonstration gave the lie to the denial.Almost all the National Executive members of the NDC, including National Chairman Kwabena Adjei, General Secretary Johnson Asiedu Nketia, National Organiser Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, Deputy General Secretary Elvis Afriyie Ankrah and Women’s Organiser Ama Benyiwa Doe, took part in the march.
Former first lady and founder of the 31st Dec Women’s Movement Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings also joined the march but her husband, former President Rawlings and NDC flagbearer John Evan Attah Mills, failed to turn up in spite of earlier publicity that the two would take part in the street demonstration. However, although Prof Mills was absent, his posters and banners were flying over the street march and his campaign song was played intermittently.
The peaceful demonstration took off around 9am and after marching through some principal streets of Accra, the protesters converged at the Accra Hearts of Oak Park near Art Centre.Addressing the crowd, Mr Asiedu Nketia referred to the 17 NPP presidential aspirants as thieves who are contesting to elect the ‘chief thief’ and alleged that each aspirant has spent about 18bn cedis in their campaign."It is the stolen money that they wasting," he alleged.
Asiedu Nketia described Kofi Wayo as his friend and sang his praises for leaving NPP and joining forces to demonstrate against his former party.Also speaking, Kwesi Pratt, a leading member of CJA, expressed happiness with the turn out of the protesters and said it should send a clear signal to the NPP government the people are ready to fight for their right. According to him, CJA would not betray its supporters to fight what he called the "incompetent and inefficient" NPP government and assured that if they stay together, they could bring the government down. He warned government to listen to the voice of the people before the people’s anger explodes on the streets of the country.
He mentioned high utility tariffs, hospital and school fees as some of the hardships facing the populace. Kofi Wayo, reminded the audience that he was an NPP man but left the party when he realized that NPP was "too involved in cocaine and stealing," adding that he was "embarrassed" by the trend. "We thought NDC was bad and we fought against them. But NPP has made NDC look like an angel," he said to the cheering crowd.He, however, added quickly that his United Renaissance Party was better and more advanced than the NDC and called on the electorate to vote him into office as President. Ama Benyiwa Doe of NDC, Bernard Mornah, Alhaji Ramadan, both of the PNC also addressed the crowd.
Source: Daily Graphic
