Accra, June 29, GNA – The Leadership of Parliament, led by Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, Majority Leader and Mr Haruna Iddrisu, Minority Leader, has received the petition of Arise Ghana, a pressure group, on behalf of the Speaker of Parliament.
Mr Bernard Mornah, a Leading Member of Arise Ghana, presented the petition to the Leadership of Parliament in Accra, at the end of their two-day demonstrations against the rising costs of living in the country.
Issues raised in the petition include matters relating to taxes, declassification of lands, matters relating to Songhor, unemployment, inflation, depreciation of the cedi, matters relating to the National Cathedral, petroleum prices, and other taxes, including in particular sanitation tax.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, in his remarks, noted that: “We are all in Ghana and we notice as members of the Ghanaian society the difficulties that we are facing as a nation now. What concerns us all, as representatives of the people should also concern us.”
He said that it was a matter of addressing that they each differ, notwithstanding they all appreciate the concerns raised by the Group.
“We must not be oblivious of matters happening around us, the world generally and, in particular the subregion. So, indeed, we have the right to demonstrate but let’s keep it peaceful; in order that nobody takes advantage of what is happening to destabilise the country,” Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said.
He reiterated that what was of paramount importance to all Ghanaians was the stability of the country.
On his part, Mr Iddrisu said the House would take note of the content of the petition and provoke debate accordingly for the needed attention.
“We need to work together to lessen the burden of the Ghanaian. It is a truism that cost of living is high, cost of doing business is high, unemployment is growing high in our country,” he said.
He said they’ve taken note of Petitioners’ wanting Parliament to exercise some mandate in reviewing petroleum-related taxes; stating that “I know of instance the United States through President Joe Biden have momentarily suspended petroleum-related taxes”.
Mr Iddrisu said the House would consider the request of the Petitioners within the general context of the challenges of the Ghanaian economy.
“What is important is for us to preserve the peace of the country, the stability of the country, our democracy, even as we protest, which is legitimately guaranteed every Ghanaian to manifest such protest when you are not happy,” the Minority Leader stated.
“We commend the peacefulness of it, I understand that yesterday, there were some infractions, avoidably if they were, we all should work to improve it, so that Police -Civil relation does not suffer and we should work to keep the peace and stability of the country.”
He said Arise Ghana had raised very legitimate concerns and that he was sure it would receive the deserved attention of Parliament and the elected representatives.
Mr Mornah, in his remarks, urged the House to among other issues, look into the issue of the de-classification of state lands, especially huge portions of the Achimota Forest Reserve.
GNA