"Kum Y3 Pr3ko" demo rocks Accra and here are 4 reasons why

The agitations which took off at the Obra Spot at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle in Accra is expected to end at Hearts Park in Accra.

According to the organizers, the Coalition for Social Justice, the demonstration is intended to draw public attention to the ever-worsening living conditions of Ghanaians.

Though several reasons were given by the organizers for what they describe as "mother of all demonstrations", there are 5 key issues behind these protests.

We, at Pulse Ghana, therefore examined five (5) of the issues responsible for this demonstration.

Increasing prices of petroleum products

Prices of petroleum products were increased by the Oil Marketing Companies in June. The National Petroleum Authority directed all oil marketing companies to re-introduce a stabilization and recovery levy on their products.

The directive according to NPA is coming from the Energy and Finance ministries through the NPA and it was based on the established principle which seeks to insulate consumers against rising prices of petroleum products.

Kum Y3n Pr3ko demo Pulse Ghana

This indicates that the prices of petrol and diesel will attract a GH¢0.12 and GH¢0.10 respectively as a levy.

The Public Utilities Regulation Commission (PURC) confirmed this when they announced that the directive will take effect from July.

The Commission in a statement said: "In taking the above decision, the Commission has received and considered tariff proposals from stakeholders including the Volta River Authority (VRA), Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo), Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Power Distribution Service Ghana Limited (PDS), Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo) and Enclave Power Company Limited."

Government's alleged harrasment of journalists

Journalists from online media portal, ModernGhana.com were arrested by operatives of national security for allegedly publishing defamatory articles about the Minister of National Security, Albert Kan Dapaah and Member of Parliament for Effutu, Alexander Afenyo Markin.

Kum Y3n Pr3ko demo Pulse Ghana

The editor of modernghana.com, William Nana Beeko, who confirmed the raid to Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), said the intruders did not present any warrant, adding that they seized laptops from the media organisation and arrested his deputy editor, Emmanuel Ajarfor Abugri, as well as Emmanuel Yeboah Britwum, a reporter.

The deputy editor claimed he was subjected to electric shock and other forms of torture by national security operatives after his arrest.

Though operatives of national security have denied these allegations, there has been a furore among media practitioners and stakeholders over the arrest and detention of the journalists in the first place.

Insecurity

The demonstrators contend that under the Akufo-Addo regime, Ghana has become insecure. This they believe resulted in the national shame of the kidnappings of three Canadian citizens in Kumasi.

The two Canadian ladies were abducted by unknown gunmen on June 4 at Ahodwo, a suburb of Kumasi.

NDC Kum Y3n Pr3ko demo Pulse Ghana

During their rescue on Wednesday, June 12, the police arrested 8 people which included 3 Nigerians and 5 Ghanaians.

Corruption

According to the National Democratic Congress (NDC), corruption is on the steep under the present administration. They claim the Akufo-Addo government has failed to nip corruption in the bud as he promised while campaigning in 2016, however, it has rather increased with impunity.

NDC demo Pulse Ghana

The NDC says the president has failed to keep his appointees in check and has often dismissed corruption allegations against them even before an independent body is tasked to do an investigation.