The coalition of opposition parties in the Northern Region has vowed to resist any attempt by the Northern Regional police command to ask the organizers to postpone the much publicized demonstration in Tamale Township on Monday August 22, 2016.
The police administration argues that President John Dramani Mahama will kick start his Northern Regional campaign tour on the same day, hence calls on the coalition to reschedule the date.
The demonstration dubbed, “Dimiiya” meaning “Times are tough” seeks to renew calls on government to drastically reduce what they have described as ‘Killer’ electricity tariffs.”
The demonstration will be a follow up to two previous news conferences held in Tamale.
Hairdressers, tailors, barbers, welders and other small scale industry players have announced their participation.
Ahead of the demonstration, the coalition’s Spokesperson, Mohammed Abdul Kudus served notice that no amount of force or persuasion will convince the organizers to postpone the demonstration.
According to him, President Mahama’s closeness to the demonstration will draw his intension to the plight of his people.
Mohammed Abdul Kudus who doubles as the NPP’s Northern Regional Communications Director also debunked assertions that the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has financially induced the other minority parties to participate.
Northern Regional Secretary of Hassan Ayariga’s ACP, Seidu Napodoo in a Citi News interview posited, “We have informed all constituencies and all the constituencies will be represented and we have been sensitizing people on the routes that we are going to use and it is going to be a peaceful demonstration just to alert the government on things that are affecting us within the region.”
“So APC is well poised and all the constituencies will converge at the starting point on Monday.”
The CPP’s regional Secretary, Nuhu Jingli disclosed the party’s intention to bus people from across the region to participate in the demonstration.
“The main reason why we are going to demonstrate is about the tariff hikes and we are coming out with about five buses across the region.”
“It is high time people get to understand that this government is insensitive to its own people and so we are therefore going to demonstrate to send a signal to the whole world at large that NDC is a party that can be described as a calamity that has befallen this country.”
“So we must therefore say no to NDC’s hardheartedness about the people of the Northern Region to be precise,” Nuhu Jingli fumed.
Meanwhile, Public Relations Officer of the Northern Regional police command, ASP Ebenezer Tetteh earlier told Citi the police and the organizers have agreed on the routes to use.
The coalition comprises the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the Convention Peoples Party (CPP), the Peoples National Convention (PNC), the Progressive Peoples Party (PPP), the National Democratic Party (NDP) and Hassan Ayariga’s All Peoples Congress (APC).
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By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/citifmonline.c.om/Ghana