President John Mahama has faced fresh protests from workers across the country over worsening economic conditions underlined by record inflation and a currency that has lost almost 30 percent of its value to the dollar in seven months.
Thousands of workers boycotted work yesterday to express their frustration over what they described as the “prevailing high cost of living.â€Â
The protests, led by the Trades Union Congress (TUC), are the latest in a series of actions criticising what have been called the “inefficient†policies of the Mahama administration. About 18 labour groups under the TUC, together with other unions including doctors, nurses, teachers and marine workers, took part in the protests in the 10 regions.
The protests reached a climax in the capital, where the TUC leadership presented a petition to Employment Minister Haruna Iddrisu.
President Mahama is battling to control budget and current-account deficits that topped 10 percent of GDP in consecutive years since 2012. The deficits have been blamed for the falling cedi, while the government’s effort to bring them down by removing energy subsidies has fuelled inflation to a four-year high. In June, prices rose at an annual rate of 15 percent, the tenth consecutive month of increases and almost twice the rate in December 2012.
A statement issued by the TUC said: “The protestations are necessary in order to draw the attention of government to the economic and social conditions facing the majority of citizens and the need for urgent measures to alleviate the hardship.â€Â
July has seen the highest number of protests and strikes by workers since anger began to be expressed over deteriorating living conditions. The cedi’s depreciation – which so far has defied the central bank’s countermeasures – has been an underlying concern in all the demonstrations that have rocked the administration.
The petition submitted to the Employment Minister called for “immediate action to halt the depreciation of the cedi and rising cost of living.â€Â
Earlier in the month, the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) – many of whom are bulk importers – ordered members in Accra and Kumasi to close their shops as they took to the streets to voice their fury at the cedi’s destructive slide.
More demands
Another issue which has featured prominently in the several protests against the government is the incessant hikes in fuel prices. Organisers of the Occupy Flagstaff House march, held on July 1, also lamented the increase in prices of petroleum products.
Since January, the price of petrol has gone up by 53 percent; of diesel by 45 percent; and of LPG – the domestic fuel used for cooking – by 32 percent. Meanwhile, public sector basic salaries were increased by just 10 percent from May and many workers in the private sector haven’t seen a pay rise.
The petition presented on Thursday demanded an immediate “downward review of prices of petroleum products and a halt to the lazy and facile reflex of simply increasing the prices of these products as the cedi depreciates due to the mismanagement of the economy and poor fiscal policies.â€Â
The deplorable infrastructure situation has also been a source of concern for most protestors. Residents of Ablekuma in Accra took to the streets on Tuesday over the appalling road network in the area. The TUC yesterday also called for “provision of requisite and critical infrastructure.â€Â
According to the union, the infrastructure should include “putting on steam the gas pipeline, efficiency in the production and distribution of electricity and water, and assuring citizens against price hikes in these essential services due to inefficiency, lack of infrastructure and the headlong depreciation of the cedi.â€Â
Government was also urged by the TUC to deal with “widespread perception of corruption in high office, which has reached an unprecedented level, and to prosecute all persons against whom there is evidence of such gross anti-social acts, irrespective of the social or political status.â€Â
The presidency of John Mahama has been dogged by several corruption scandals ranging from wrongfully awarded judgement debts, alleged abuse in the award of government contracts as well as misappropriation of funds by the Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Development Agency and the Savannah Acceleration Development Authority (SADA).
Nationwide protests
While Thursday’s protest in Accra was largely peaceful, the one held in Sunyani was marred by violent clashes between the police and protestors, Edward Adjei Frimpong reports from the Brong Ahafo region.
Police detailed to provide security to protestors fired tear gas and rubber bullets to dispel angry crowds threatening to breach a police blockade at the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC).
The confusion followed a disagreement between the police and demonstrators over the number of people to be allowed to present a petition to government officials.
Several injured protestors were taken to hospital. Protestors asked government to revamp the railway sector as well as initiate steps that will bring back the ailing Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) to life.
In the Northern regional capital, Tamale, Samuel Sam reports that workers took to the streets to protest recent increases in cost of utilities and fuel.
According to the protestors, current economic and social challenges facing the country are unbearable and they want government to ease the hardships facing workers.
In Kumasi, workers turned out peacefully to demonstrate, reiterating the same concerns expressed across the regions, Kizito Cudjoe reports. The demonstration began from the Kumasi Cultural Centre, through to the Central Business District and finally to the Regional Coordinating Council, where a petition was presented to the Deputy Regional Minister Joseph Yammin.
Joseph Omane Agyekum, Regional Chairman of the TUC who addressed the workers, said the union’s leadership will keep workers apprised of further causes of action that may become necessary depending on government’s reaction to their demands.
In the rest of the regions, the demonstrations were largely peaceful, according to reports.
By Richard Annerquaye Abbey and Benson Afful
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