Koforidua-Ghana, Nov. 10, GNA – Koforidua residents are sceptical the “Kume Preko Reloaded” demonstration’s objective of pressuring President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to resign can be met, criticising the protest as a waste of time, energy, and resources.
According to some people, the time, energy, and resources spent on staging last Saturday’s protest march could have been better spent on a more productive activity rather than chasing an unattainable goal.
Hundreds of disgruntled Ghanaians demonstrated last Saturday under the slogan, “Kume Preko Reloaded” to protest the current economic downturn, which has been exacerbated by rising commodity prices and the persistent depreciation of the cedi.
The demonstration sparked profound public debate in both traditional and social media, prompting the Ghana News Agency (GNA) to gauge public opinion in Koforidua on the call for the president to step down.
Mr Alex Tetteh, a former officer of the Ghana National Fire Service, accused demonstrators of promoting their own interests and stated that no one could force President Akufo-Addo to resign.
“People are campaigning on their stomachs because they know it won’t happen unless the President decides it himself,” he said.
Describing the existing economic situation as normal, Mr Joseph Tetteh, 68, noted that it was not the first time such a crisis had occurred in the country and criticised government workers in part for the present situation of the economy, adding, “We don’t carry government work on our shoulders. We do it anyhow.”
Mr. Tetteh stated that the negligence of public sector workers had caused more harm than good to the country, adding that “no president will come into office with the intention of letting the nation down.”
Considering this, Mr Tetteh said that there was no reason to call for the resignation of the President given his various contributions to the country’s progress.
Ms. Elizabeth Frimpong, a wholesale and retail dealer in provisions, stated that no government could salvage the economy unless citizens changed their attitudes and described the attitudes of most Ghanaians as wicked and greedy, willing to go to any length to watch their fellow citizens suffer for the sake of their money.
He also noted that most market traders failed to pay their taxes, which could have been used by the social welfare department to help the poor in the country and during economic downturns such as the ongoing slump.
However, some individuals applauded the organisers of the “Kume Preko Reloaded” demonstration for their call on President Akufo-Addo to resign, saying that Ghana had seen enough of the economic misery under his tenure.
“If the president is no longer capable of handling the economic situation of the country, the right thing for him to do is to step down together with his vice president,” said Mr. Alex Tetteh, of the Diamond Star Wellness Health and Wealth Consult.
