A pressure group, Arise Ghana has announced its decision to hold the second series of demonstrations in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region on August 22, 2022.

Lead member of the group, Comrade Bernard Mornah at a press conference on Tuesday, stated that the demonstration is in line with “keeping with our objective of championing the interest and welfare of Ghanaians."

“This historic demonstration will be preceded by community and stakeholder engagements in Kumasi and other parts of the Ashanti Region”.

According to him, “Ghanaians from all walks of life will congregate in the garden city to protest against excruciating economic hardships imposed on them by the callous Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government.”

He added that the group will also make demands for the following:

1. A significant reduction in fuel prices through the stabilization of the Ghana cedi and repeal of crippling fuel taxes such as the needless sanitation levy, the Special Petroleum Tax, the Price Stabilization and Recovery Levy, the new energy sector levy of 20 pesewas on a liter of diesel and petrol among others;

2. The immediate repeal of the obnoxious E-Levy on Momo transactions and other electronic transactions;

3. The immediate repeal of the nuisance COVID-19 levy of 1% on the VAT Flat Rate and the National Health Insurance Levy (NHIL);

4. The total cancellation of the stinking Agyapa deal in which few greedy elements of the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government and their cronies are seeking to appropriate the mineral resources of Ghana for themselves in perpetuity.

5. A full-scale bi-partisan public enquiry into COVID-19 expenditures.

6. An end to the misplaced priorities and continuous rape of the public purse by the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government.

Mr Mornah said he believes that when the above-mentioned demands are “heeded, it will go a long way to ameliorate the plight of suffering Ghanaians and provide a respite for all of us.”

He went on to say that ahead of the demonstration, a public forum on the theme “Ghana's current socio-economic position and the prospects of an IMF program” has been scheduled for July 2022.

The Lead convener of Arise Ghana further implored citizens “to actively participate in these all-important programs, especially the 22nd August Arise Ghana demonstration in Kumasi, which is aimed at birthing a new paradigm of responsible and accountable leadership in our country.”

“Fellow countrymen and women, our beloved country is in deep crises and requires an urgent rescue. Our economy is currently on the verge of collapse and will inevitably collapse if something drastic is not immediately done to salvage it. Our resources have been hijacked by a few greedy government officials and their cronies while the masses continue to languish in abject penury. The future of our children and generations unborn is being mortgaged by the current selfish duty bearers of our country while moral voices look on unconcerned.

"To do nothing will only allow this evil to fester. This is not the time for partisanship, rather this is time for us to arise and unite to save Ghana from the clutches of the nation-wrecking Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government. Enough is enough,” he said.

Arise Ghana in its first demonstration hit the streets of Accra on June 28 and 29th to express displeasure over the worsening economic conditions in the country.

The demonstration however turned chaotic on the first day leading to the firing of tear gas and water cannons by the Ghana Police. Also, 29 protestors were arrested as a result.