26 June 2025

Month: February 2022

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The National Youth Organizer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), George Opare Addo, has refuted claims that the NDC pleaded with the #FixTheCountry Movement to join its upcoming ‘Yentua Demonstration’. In an interview with Evans Mensah on Top Story on Monday, the leader of the NDC Youth Wing stated that, as a political party, the NDC has an overwhelming support and followers, and therefore it does not need the backing of anybody to ensure a successful protest. According to him, the convener of the FixTheCountry Movement, Oliver Barker-Vormawor had initially shown interest in the protest only to later make a u-turn, after the NDC failed to yield to his demands. Mr. Opare Addo said Mr. Barker-Vormawor wanted the NDC to organise a press conference on the need for a new constitution, which the NDC refused. “We did not create a coalition. People came to us. I listened to Oliver and I’m a bit disappointed, because the level of conversation we had and what he’s putting out is not a true reflection of events. I reached out to Oliver, not the National Democratic Congress. I reached out to him as a friend and I discussed with him that his voice has been heard on E-levy. Initially he agreed, only for him to call just last night that his members are telling him that he cannot join. So all he’s saying is much a do about nothing. And mind you, the FixTheCountry organization is not bigger than the NDC. He’s creating the impression of a big organization. How big is FixTheCountry? What is their history in this country?”, George Opare Addo said. On February 3, the Youth Wing of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) announced plans to embark on a street protest against the Electronic Transactions Levy (E-levy) on Thursday, February 10, 2022. The protest dubbed ‘Yentua Demonstration’ will start at 7am at the Obra Spot. A letter signed by the National Youth Organiser of the Party, George Opare Addo, explained that there is an urgent need for them to protest the tax policy, saying “the young people of this country are frustrated and tired of the happenings in the country”. The protest is also to impress upon government to “rescind its desperate efforts on the Electronic [Transactions] Levy, end widespread corruption, redeem young people from mass unemployment, pay outstanding arrears to workers and end the UTAG endless strike immediately”. However, two civil society advocacy groups, #FixTheCountry Movement and the Economic Fighters League have declined an invitation from the NDC to participate in the upcoming protest. According to the leader of the #FixTheCountry Movement, even though the reason for the protest is laudable, his outfit cannot participate because it is being fronted by a political party. In his explanations, he added that the #FixTheCountry Movement wants to maintain its nationalistic appeal, and therefore cannot join in the planned demonstration. On the other hand, the leader of the Economic Fighters League, Ernesto Yeboah, said, “we’re not interested in a coalition at this moment. And then we have indicated to the NDC that, in fact we see nothing wrong with their Youth Wing leading a demonstration against the E-levy. It sends a strong message to their lackadaisical, deal-cutting, lackluster MPs, that the people of Ghana are serious and it is time for them to truthfully reflect and defend the will of the people. And so at this point, we are not interested like I said, in a coalition”. Reacting to these developments, George Opare Addo said the upcoming protest is in the interest of all Ghanaians, hence the need for all concerned citizens to rally behind the NDC Youth wing to mount pressure on government to thrash the E-levy Bill, amongst other worrying issues in the country. Meanwhile, a host of other pressure groups and civil society organisation have expressed their willingness to join the NDC, in the ‘Yentua Demonstration”. Some of the groups include, ‘Justice 4 Ghana’, led by Mr. Bernard Mornah; Care Ghana, led by David Kumi; Anchoring Democracy Advocacy Movement (ADAM-GH), led by Azubila Emmanuel; the Coalition of University Students, led by Kofi George Abuah, as well as some aggrieved NABCO trainees.

8 February 2022
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