The famous "Kume Preko," to wit, "You may as well kill me now" demonstration in 1995 was and is still described as the biggest ever to have been witnessed by any "non-performing" government in history.
The protest has been replicated by a section of Ghanaians, led by Mr. Martin Kpebu, a private legal practitioner, today, Saturday, November 5, 2022.
Then vibrant, outspoken, and fearless Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo, now President of the Republic, together with his other frontiers—Dr Charles Wreko Brobbey, Kwesi Kwaku Baako, Akoto Ampaw, Victor Newman, Kwaku Opoku, Napoleon Abdulai, Pratt Jnr., Dr Nayarko Tamakloe, and Abdul Malik coined the 1995 protest.
Reportedly joined by some 100,000 Ghanaians on some streets of Accra, the anti-government demonstration was mainly to protest the Value Added Tax (VAT) initiative, which was introduced under the Jerry John Rawlings administration.
Reports also have it that that period was a period in which several hardworking citizens could not afford one decent meal a day.
It was also said to be one of the most notorious periods of corruption in Ghana’s history, along with the late President Rawlings's dictatorial rule.
Many have likened the 1995 experience to President Nana Akufo-Addo’s regime as taxes such as the electronic transaction levy (E-Levy) and petroleum taxes introduced by government have been pinching Ghanaians deep in pains.S
Situations such as the frequent depreciation of the cedi, the frequent rises in food prices, general inflation rates, and hikes in the prices of commodities have inflicted so many hardships on the citizens.
Some citizens have lamented of not being able to afford three square meals a day, similar to the situation in 1995.
Also, the protesters claim the President has been a dictator as he has refused to sack his Finance Minister, Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta, whom many, including NPP MPs, believe has failed.
The protesters demand the resignation of President Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo and his Vice President, Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia, for a new government to be instituted to lead them out of the current economic quagmire.
The reloaded protesters held placards that read "impeach the president," "boo the president," "we voted for service, not opulence,"
"greedy bofrot," "Cedi devaluation = Agyapa deal," "fly out on a luxury jet, as usual, and never return; go into exile," "enough of the lies and deception," and several others.
Credit: Modern Ghana