Former President John Dramani Mahama is stagnant on his position that he is not financing the #FixTheCountry demonstration recently staged in Accra.
His statement comes on the back of claims by communicators of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) government that he sponsored the protest with ¢1.5 million.
But the former president says such claims should be treated as “an absolute lie”
“And the government communicators go and lie that I have given them [#FixTheCountry] £85,000 and I have given them ¢1.5 million for their demonstration. Absolute lie! Those old Machiavellian tactics don’t work. I haven’t given ‘fix it’ one single cedi”, he said.
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He made this known when he addressed the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs on Tuesday while on a “Thank You” tour of the region.
Touching on the #FixTheCountry Movement in Ghana, the 2020 flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress added that although the youth involved in the movement did not engage in acts of vandalism, government should not take their concerns for granted.
Citing a similar incident in Nigeria he added that youth unemployment was a major problem in Africa, and it is time leaders pay attention to it.
“In Nigeria, they had the SASS movement – it was like a rebellion against police repression, but who are those who took part in the SASS movement? It was the unemployed youth. And the point is, let’s not think that if you are enriching yourself, you are safe.
“When the youth rise up, they think that everyone who is living a good life is one of the people oppressing them and that is why they cannot get jobs so if you are driving a nice car, they will break your glass and molest you”, he said.
He further added that, government must dialogue with the conveners so their issues can be solved amicabily.
“And so, when government think that these young people; we must demonise them…it’s not because of NPP. It’s all of us. They are expressing dissatisfaction in our collective leadership, and the earlier we listen to them, dialogue with them, the better”, Mr Mahama said.
