In the morning of July 1, 2014, I joined a small group of red clad Ghanaians under the tag Concerned Ghanaians for Responsible Governance at the Efua Sutherland Park in Accra to register our concern at the poor governance of our dear country through a street protest which was originally planned to culminate in our Occupying the Front Lawns of the Flagstaff House, the seat of Ghana’s government. By 9.30 our number had grown to about 300. Having been warned by our much younger leaders and organizers on the need to behave ourselves whilst on our march to Flagstaff House, we set off in the rain, encouraged by the rallying songs of the exuberant young ones among us. We’d hardly trudged 300 metres when our peaceful protest was, in Tiananmen Square style, stopped by a barricade of Ghana Police’ Chinese built riot control vehicles, water cannons and a platoon of combat ready, but quite understanding, peaceful, friendly policemen, equipped with riot shields and gear, taser guns, tear gas canisters and AK47s. They seemed embarrassed that contrary to what had been agreed with the Police earlier, they had been ordered to stop us from demonstrating. After all we were not riotous, angry, aggressive, drunk, hostile or violent. We were utterly calm and peaceful. Not an offensive word was uttered by our band against the police After an hour’s stand-off we dispersed and by the time we surreptitiously re-converged at TV3’s gates, our numbers had been halved by driving rain, lack of effective communication and an intimidating security presence. But our drive remained undiminished. After a long wait we managed though the determined efforts of our youthful, patriotic leaders, to present a petition to the government at about mid-day. It was a peaceful, spontaneous and determined protest.
That evening at a state dinner for Senior Citizens to mark an unusually rain soaked and uncharacteristically gloomy Republic Day, President Mahama noted our concerns and promised redress. The next day (2/7/14), and contrary to Foreign Minister Hanna Serwaa Tetteh’s scoffing and disdainful tweet about our numbers, the Chief of Staff promptly acknowledged the petition in a letter. I only hope Ms. Tetteh’s intended “Listening Event” with Ghanaians scheduled for the UK early in August, is not a harried, ironic result of our protest. It will be at taxpayers’ considerable expense (hotels, air-tickets, per-diems, meals, refreshment etc.) and there must be something worthy to show for it, something tangible arising therefrom. Contrary again to other pro-government spokespersons and communicators Goebells-like insistence and assertions regarding the “failure” of our “bourgeoisie”, “elitist”, “middle-class” “failed protest”, most Accra radio stations centered discussions in their morning shows the whole of that week analyzing the significance of the protest, and had government communicators scurrying around to provide answers personally and via telephone. Presidential Aide, James Agenim-Boateng said on his Facebook wall that government would hold a press conference to address our concerns. Indeed, and in direct response to our “failed protest” and petition, the government acting by Felix Ofosu-Kwakye a young Deputy Minister of Information held a press conference on 8th July 2014 and having snidely rebuked us as “doom and despondency” mongers and denied that his press conference was in response to our petition, elaborately proceeded to catalogue the government’s achievements, projects, and plans in his own version of a State of the Nation Address. Yet his voice lacked the usual swagger and seemed to quiver. Maybe he didn’t believe what he was reading…. It was embarrassing. I don’t think I’ll be too amiss in suggesting that the President’s intended shake up at Flagstaff House may have been partly triggered by our insignificant, little demonstration.
But we should not be jubilant at government’s reaction; this is only one small but significant step…
But was this a bourgeoisie, middle class or elitist protest? Kwasi Pratt, Kwadwo Twum-Boafo, Sam-George and other government spokespersons have sneeringly attached ‘privileged social strata’ to our group, our protest and our petition. Nothing could be further from the truth. I for instance only heard about the protest by chance on a hopeless search for fuel the previous Saturday evening. I immediately determined to join. Some friends heard about it on radio that morning and showed up!! I didn’t know the organizers or their political affiliation. I don’t care!! Subsequently, I read quite a few articles regarding our hastily convened, social media led march. Three of them are significant: Chibora Ali’s forceful argument (Ghanaweb 7/7/14) that all classes were represented at the protest, Colin Essamuah’s “A Stroll in the Park on Republic Day” in his Abura Epistle column in the Daily Graphic of 4th July 2014 and Ace Anan Ankamah’s riposte to Kakra in the same newspaper on 7th July 2014 on Page 42. I know the latter two from Mfantsipim, once the great citadel of secondary school education and training in Ghana. Essamuah was in Lower 6th Form when I was in Form 1 and Ace my dorm-mate and junior. Both were disciplined. Colin’s father was a Methodist minister. Ace became the musician of Joyful Way Incorporated fame. Colin is a historian, Ace a lawyer. Both presented their cases forcefully. I read and re-read them several times and were I required to give a verdict I’d side with Ace. Read them. Kakra’s arguments are cleverly concocted, not representative of the proceedings that day, do not reflect what happened that day and are certainly not the sentiments of the organizers and the protesters. Ace’s arguments reflect the situation we are in as a country.
One poor mind on Ghanaweb complained that the protesters had car keys!! The fact is that we were, and are still CONCERNED!! We are CONCERNED about the failings in our economy, inflation, the lack of good governance, corruption, mismanagement of our scarce resources, increasing poverty, the state of the Cedi, the collapse of the NHIS, the erosion of our values, poor roads, power outages, no running water, poor sanitation. Shouldn’t we be? These matters affect most Ghanaians, except our fat cat, plutocrat, US$110,000.00 V8 Toyota Landcruiser driving politicians. It was these common woes that bound us together, and not, as imagined by government spokespersons, our “bourgeoisie” positions in society. There were students, secretaries, traders, lawyers, businessmen, economists, ‘common people’, workers, doctors, pharmacists, and significantly a young businessman who has hogged the limelight recently. Independent minds!! We are CONCERNED!! WORRIED!! If there was anything that bound us together that day, it must have been the power to discern right from wrong, good from bad in the way our country is being administered and the rapid, rabid steering of our country into an abyss. That frightening spectre, and not as imagined and concocted, links to the NPP or a sense of entitlement brought us together. We are the CONCERNED CLASS!! The WORRIED CLASS!!
Ghana, our beloved country, whether we deny or admit it, is at a precipice. We have a huge educated class, mentally and morally endowed to discern right from wrong that ought to speak out, to point out, to insist to our politicians and government functionaries many of whom appear inept and clueless as to what must be done to save this nation. That we ought to do things properly, with regard to and within the law, and that corruption and mismanagement of our scarce resources must not be normal, acceptable practices and our way of life. We must challenge holders of political office and our public servants to do the right thing, think through their actions, use our resources justly, justifiably and equitably, refine our methods, improve governance and call them to order when they err. They are not above us. We have put them in office to work, get paid and enjoy the perks of office in exchange for improving the lives of our people. We have given them a job to do and they must do it properly.
We fail ourselves, our families and our country if we sit aloof in air-conditioned cars and 4WD’s, luxuriate at home, and whine, whinge and whimper to our friends, family and our peers at funerals about the shambles our country is becoming without protesting wrongdoing in government and poor governance, in the public service and at all strata of government. Grumbling to your friends that “Ghana is hard”, “What is going on?’’ will not do. Not anymore!! You must wake up to the calling and justify the endowment education has given you to challenge things, to ask questions and seek answers, to join the CONCERNED who demand good, responsible governance. And, to borrow from the strangely and lately abnormally silent J.J. Rawlings, demand “Probity and Accountability”. Show concern, dear educated Ghanaian who can read this and understand what is going on; stop complaining quietly, and grumbling to friends and family. Act. Support the efforts of the non-partisan Concerned Ghanaians for Responsible Governance. If we sink further as a nation during these trying times it will be because, you who had the power to make your voice heard, you with the faculty to discern between good and bad governance, you didn’t and let our selfish, careless, uncaring politicians hold idiotic sway. Prayers and hoping for the best will not solve our problems, action will.
That rainy day, the most enduring refrain was from a song I never sang when it was foisted on our gullible, impressionable youth of the 1980’s. It was:
“Arise Ghana youth for your country, your nation demands your devotion,
Let’s all unite to uphold her,
And make her great and strong
We are all involved, we are all involved, we are all involved, in building our motherland!”
I’m proud of these young patriots for their conviction, courage and commitment, and pledge to support this peaceful, legitimate cause. Ghana’s 40-55 year olds are failing Ghana. As Edmund Burke said, “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” I didn’t know any of the organizers and hadn’t even heard of them. The next Sunday after church, one of them also an Mfantsipim Old Boy, quietly came up to me and said “Sir, thank you for coming on Tuesday”. Only then did I recognize him. I salute him.
SUPPORT THE “CONCERNED GHANAIANS FOR RESPONSIBLE GOVERNANCE” (CGRG) THIS “RED FRIDAY” BY WEARING RED IN PROTEST AGAINST POOR GOVERNANCE.
Do not be afraid………..
As they say on the streets; “Ghana is for all of us!”
Johnny Blukoo-Allotey,
Accra, Ghana.