The Ashanti Region Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Raymond Tandoh has accused the region’s branch of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) of using Tuesday’s demonstration to promote an ethnic agenda.
Hundreds of Ghanaians marched through the streets of Kumasi in the Ashanti Region, led by the Regional branch of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the Ashanti Regional Parliamentary caucus to protest what they described as an unbearable hardship in the region.
The protesters were found carrying placards with the with the inscription ‘Ghana abr3’, ‘Stop the suffering’, ‘Asante’s are suffering’ among others.
But according to the NDC regional secretary, claims by NPP indicating that the Ashanti region was the worst affected by the current energy crisis was false.
“We all know the power crisis is a national issue not limited to the Ashanti region, they wanted to seem as if government is punishing the Ashanti region on this capitation exercise and load shedding exercise that is going on.
He added that “What are they insinuating, are they telling us that the government of Ghana has told the VRA and the ECG to switch the lights in the Ashanti region off, this is disgusting and unfortunate”
Meanwhile, a high ranking member of the Ashanti regional branch of the New Patriotic Party, Nana Kwame has refuted suggestions the NPP was trying to give an ethnic twist to the ongoing situation
“This demonstration, although led by the NPP captured people from all different parties, I even saw a 90 year old woman who said she was demonstrating because of her grandchildren, and we even have pictures and videos of her” – he said
He further added that, people within the Ashanti region were so infuriated by the president’s comments and demeanor when he toured the region and as such came out in their numbers to support the Ya Y3 Mo D3n demonstration.
By: Benjamin Epton Owusu/Citifmonline.com/Ghana