NPP asked to stage future demonstrations in Accra
Two groups—Asante Youth Association (AYA) and Concern Youth of Asante (CYA) —have called on the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and its allied groups to stage all future demonstrations against the Electoral Commission (EC) and President Mahama in Accra.
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They explained that the EC offices and headquarters, as well as the presidency, were both in Accra and for their cases to be heard by those intended to, they should stage them in Accra and not in Kumasi.
Addressing the media in Accra yesterday, 24 hours after the ‘Baamu yada’ Demonstration by the NPP and other groups, the President of CYA, Nana Agyenim Boateng (Gyataba) who is also the Leader and flag bearer of the United Front Party (UFP), also urged the demonstrators to respect the traditions of Asanteman.
Last Wednesday, a large number of people in Kumasi and its surrounding towns took to the streets to protest against the refusal of the EC to either compile a new voters register or validate the existing one, as well as the harsh economic conditions.
The demonstrators expressed surprise that after refusing to heed the call for new voters register, the EC had rejected the recommendations of its own Panel of Experts that the roll must be validated to sieve out the names of 600,000 dead persons, minors and those who engaged in double registration in order to have a clean register.
Dubbed Baamu yada, to wit, “We Will not Agree,” the demonstration was supported by members and leaders of the People’s National Convention (PNC), the National Democratic Party (NDP) and Let My Vote Count Alliance (LMVCA).
Lack of respect
Mr Boateng wondered why the demonstrators would take to the streets on the very day the King of the Ashanti was celebrating Awukudae, a very prominent celebration on the calendar of the kingdom.
He urged the demonstrators and any other groups that would want to demonstrate on the streets of Kumasi to consult the Asanteman Council or Manhyia to ensure that such activities did not clash with the celebration.
