OccupyGhana Declares #RedFriday Against Gitmo 2

OccupyGhana® has expressed its support for the lawful declaration of nationwide strikes by organized labour to protest grave economic difficulties that have almost derailed plans for basic livelihoods in all homes.

Organised labour and all well-meaning Ghanaians are fully aware that should the suffocating hiked taxes and tariffs be allowed to run past the first quarter, the government runs a heightened risk of economic rebellion due to the inability of citizens to honour tax obligations. An underground economy beckons.

Whilst it will be completely sensible to review the heartless fiscal decision, OccupyGhana® reiterates its call for the government to effectively deal with corruption, whose effect dents the economy annually by almost $3bn as some estimates have suggested. This figure is almost equal to the tax receipts anticipated from the raft of taxes imposed. Evidently, the snowballing effect of the cases of GYEEDA, SADA, Payroll fraud, Woyome’s scam judgment debt and a host of other debts have been overwhelmed by the dreadful and tongue wagging cases of inflated Airport construction costs, several inflated infrastructure deals, $98m Smartty's deal, $1M bus branding, AMERI and Karpower deals and more.

As if these destructive economic policies are not enough, the government has sought to distract our taxed attention with the importation of two highly suspicious terrorists under the pretext of honouring international neighbourliness and compassion with America, when the latter finds it difficult to host the two individuals it claims are of “low risk” and pose no threat to recipient nations such as Ghana.  The callousness of the decision does not vitiate the character of the current economic management, but at least it must have been done with the remotest courtesy of preparing our minds.

It is on this note that we reiterate our call for massive support for the strikes and make fresh appeal to all who can, to wear anything RED as we declare #RedFriday, on Friday January 22, 2016.

Yours in the service of occupying hearts and minds for God and Country.