We Won’t Welcome ‘Wahala’ In Kumasi’

A group calling itself Concerned Youth (CY) in the Ashanti region has indicated that the people of Kumasi will not in any way welcome the demonstration of the Committee for Joint Action (CJA) since the aim of the committee is mischievous and treacherous.

According to the group's estimation, the CJA is nothing but the brainchild of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), having paraded its men at the forefront of the CJA's agitation and demonstration dubbed; “Wahala” to compel the government to reduce the prices of petroleum products.

They therefore lacked the necessary credentials. The Concerned Youth group, which recognizes demonstration as the constitutional right of any individual or a group of persons, stated that its members had been troubled and disturbed by the recent issuance of threats and campaign of insults by the CJA's leadership and the former President, Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings. KWASI PRATTISM

At a press conference in Kumasi to express these sentiments, the spokesman for the group, Mr. Stephen Amoah described Mr. Kwasi Pratt Junior as a serial demonstrator, tax evader, informant of the Ex-President and chief architect of Wahala series of marches.

According to him, the people of Ghana demand an explanation to what he meant when he said the NPP government would run helter-skelter if it did not reduce the prices of the petroleum products. Mr. Amoah disclosed to newsmen that they, the Ashanti Region Concerned Youth, understood from the words of Mr. Pratt, who is the

Managing Editor of “The Insight” newspaper that the “Wahala” demonstration is for their selfish interest, as such, “we have seen the ambition of Kwasi Pratt and his demonstrators as trying to incite and mislead the public.” RAWLINGS' SHARE

The former President whose participation in the CJA's first march marred the aim of the committee, had his share of the youth group's criticism for launching a blistering attack on President Kufuor, likening him to the notorious armed robber, Ayi Aryeetey a.k.a Atta Ayi. “In fact, we would be grateful if the Ex-President examines himself first before he points any guilty fingers at innocent people,” the spokesman said, debunking names like “Dzimakpla”, 'thief' and many more used to describe his successor (Kufuor).

He pointed out that it is sad to note in this regard that Mr. Rawlings has no respect or whatsoever for the office he once occupied as the Head of State and leader of government. “The former President since he left office in 2000, has not ceased to harangue and bad-mouth President Kufuor and the NPP government,” he observed grievously. Amoah recalled that 23 years ago, the Ex-President resorted to similar antics and ended up overthrowing the government of the late Dr. Hilla Liman. SECURITY ALERTNESS He urged all the security agencies to be on the alert and monitor closely, the movements of those who want to sow seeds of mischief in the country, indicating that Mr. Rawlings is on record to have said that he could not wait to see President Kufuor's government completing its term of office in 2008.

These utterances, the group said, they could not tolerate in the Ashanti region, judging from his track record and threatened that they (the members) would advise themselves appropriately, if the Ex-President tried to take Ghana backwards. Mr. Amoah therefore urged the youth of this country to stay calm and exhibit a high pitch of alertness to ensure the consolidation of our democracy.

According to him, if indeed the CJA is much concerned about the suffering of Ghanaians, then it should be sincere enough to acknowledge that it started with the NDC regime under which most youth suffered untold hardships.

He concluded, “we want to assure the good people of Ghana that the era of constant threats, mismanagement, discrimination, arbitrary arrests and unnecessary harassment have gone forever and that any democratically elected government will serve its mandate given it by Ghanaians to the fullest.”