Mr Ace Anan Ankomah, a private legal practitioner and a leading member of pressure group, OccupyGhana, has revealed that his advocacy work and social change campaigns are because he is always irritated by issues affecting the country.
The lawyer, who is also the Managing Partner at Bentsi-Enchill, Letsa and Ankomah law firm, made known that he is now toned down on expressing his views on the happenings in the country as a way of disciplining himself. Even with that, he divulged that he still does his advocacy work via OccupyGhana.
“I have always stated my views, I have neither been shy to say what I think. I am no shrinking violet, I don’t pull punches, and I do not suffer foolishness gladly. I see a country that has so much, yet so little. It’s a painful thing to look at Ghana.
“Ghana irritates me very much. Everyday, I give up on the country and the next day, I am back still trying to see if we can make Ghana well. Every day I say let us just give up, but sometimes I feel like let’s just forget it. It happens to me and I will say today I won’t bother myself with Ghana, in two hours I’m back writing something about the country, because this is Ghana.”
Ace Ankomah
According to Mr. Ankomah, he understands those who do not want to speak about what is happening in the country. “It comes at a cost, because everybody out there thinks they can insult you because you speak your mind. People say why don’t you speak too much of late? I grew up and decided to discipline myself. You know me I can pick a fight in an empty room, I don’t fear engaging in a fight with anyone. I can’t pull punches, so the best way to discipline myself is not to get involved at the human advocacy level. But I will do what l can through OccupyGhana,” he disclosed.
Lawyer Ace Ankomah iterated that, OccupyGhana has been able to make some impact on governments’ decisions despite the many threats its members encounter.
“OccupyGhana has never organised a demonstration. We rather join other groups’ demonstrations. The beginning of OccupyGhana was very rough. In one day, two members had acid on their car tires.
“People said; you guys (OccupyGhana) if you go on the streets, we will teach you a lesson. They told us they will do a Morgan Tsvangirai out of us (The Zimbabwean opposition leader who was beaten).”
Ace Ankomah
The private legal practitioner reiterated that, members of OccupyGhana lately do a lot of writing on issues that need change, and they are never tired.
“After the demonstrations what next? So we decided to carry the battle to an intellectual level and that has evolved. We realised that we don’t have to be on the streets, organise press conferences, speak to radio stations to make an impact anymore.
“We decided to write, I do a lot of writing, and I’m never tired. I spend two hours every day doing OccupyGhana work. I tell my friends in government, I can follow you like a demon, I follow them and we harass them. Sometimes we sit back, and we are amazed at the things we have achieved by just writing letters.”
Ace Ankomah
Measures Which Can Put The Country’s Economy On track
It will be recalled that OccupyGhana in December 2022, outlined some ten measures which can potentially put the country’s economy on track should they be implemented by government.
According to the group, government cannot continue to blame the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war for its current situation since the country’s “debt was unsustainable even before these external factors kicked in and compounded an already precarious situation.”
OccupyGhana argued that the recent debt restructuring programme announced by government through the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta is not in the best interest of Ghanaians or investors, hence the ten recommendations they came up with.
The pressure group reiterated earlier calls for the President to cut down on the size of his government. This, they claim, will send “a powerful message in these tough and painful times that the Government is serious about its commitment to do better while requesting sacrifices from the general public.”
Again, OccupyGhana advised the President, HE Nana Akufo-Addo to start paying his income tax. It believed the President paying his income taxes will compel other citizens to do same.
“We should remove the tax exemption granted to the President under article 68(5) of the Constitution. While the actual savings from this might not be much, it is hugely significant and relevantly symbolic. The President must lead by example.”
Ace Ankomah
While asking the President to revise all tax exemptions given out, “OccupyGhana is also calling for the scrapping of ex-gratia payments to all Article 71 Officeholders”.
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