A non-political pressure group in Ghana isdemanding the new government immediately address what it described as theunbearable standard of living after the recent fuel price increases. TheCommittee for Joint Action (CJA) said it would resist any policy that is not inthe interest of the ordinary Ghanaian. The group also said there was need forPresident John Evans Atta-Mills to keep his promise of investigating andpunishing the masterminds of the killing of a local chief and at least forty ofhis elders.
Bernard Morna is a leading member of the CJA. He told VOA thegovernment needs to get its act together in alleviating the suffering of the masses.
"Well,straight to the issues that the CJA has concerns about the way governance isdone in this country and that in the past we said this to the NPP (NewPatriotic Party) administration, which were not properly addressed," Morma said. "And also to remind the government that the people ofGhana cannot tolerate the current cost of living that confronts us today."
Hedescribed as inadequate reasons assigned by the government to the recentincrease in fuel prices despite the fact that crude oil prices dropped sharplyworldwide.
"Therecent fuel price increase cannot be justified by the government's claim thatcrude oil prices at the world market are what dictate the domestic prices thatpeople pay. We asked the government to explore other alternative sources ofrevenue rather than rely heavily on fuel price," he said.
Mornasaid his group is not overly enthused about the recent sale of the country'stelecommunication giant to United Kingdom-based Vodaphone.
"Wehave also asked the Atta-Mills government to take a serious review of thesurrender of Ghana telecom to Vodaphone. We believe that it is critical toensure that the people of Ghana get value for their assets," Morna said.
Hesaid although the new administration is getting its act together to addressconcerns of the ordinary Ghanaian it was important for members of theadministration to be reminded of why they are there.
"Itis important to note that the Atta-Mills administration took effect fromJanuary 3 and that if there is any calamity in this country theMills administration must be held accountable or be held responsible. So, tothat extent, it is important to continue to remind them of what might beexpected of them so that they can manifest their manifesto of promises of abetter Ghana to the people of Ghana," he said.
Mornasaid he is of the view that the government does not have all the time in theworld to begin alleviating the suffering of the masses.
"Ifwe allow time it will become like the NPP administration where four years passedand then they kept on telling us that they have not been in government forlong. We want the Mills administration to succeed," Morna said.
Hesaid the new administration has not made its intentions known about when to beginthe investigation into the recent killings of a paramount chief and at least 40of his elders.
"We'venot yet received official response from the government. But it is obvious ifyou have a chief whose palace was attacked continuously for three days therecannot be any government that is responsible will not even know that such actswere going on. That will just mean that the government was not up to the taskof protecting the nation and that that can happen in modern Ghana is to tellyou that there can be some level of government complicity. And we don't thinkthat anybody should be shielded from this act," he said.
Mornasaid failure of the new administration to investigate and bring to justice themasterminds of the massacre would set a dangerous precedent.
"Ifwe don't find the perpetrators or the killers of the Ya Na (chief) and the 40others, I am sure that our society will be indirectly informed that after allany group of persons can mount an assault or attack on a chief's palace andthey can kill the chief. And once you succeed, you can go scot-free," Mornasaid.
Meanwhile, Ya Na Yakubu Andani II who was the paramount chief in theDagbon State of Ghana was killed in 2002 in deadly clashes between the Abuduand the Andani gates of the traditional area.
Thepressure group said the perpetrators of the crime against the Dagbon state arealive and well and living in the society with impunity.