Spare Part Dealers Displeased with Akufo-Addo

Members of the National Concerned Spare Parts Dealers Association have accused President Nana Akufo-Addo and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) of delivering hardship to them after sponsoring the party with GHS200,000 to win the 2016 elections.

Public Relations Officer of the group, Mr Takyi Addo, who spoke to Moro Awudu on Class91.3FM’s Executive Breakfast Show on Tuesday, 18 September 2018, said the group expected the Akufo-Addo government to deliver easy times, thus, their GHS200,000 campaign contribution in the lead-up to the 2016 elections.

According to him, increases in taxes, high import charges and the inability of the government to stabilise the dollar as promised, have contributed to the untold hardships they are currently experiencing.

“The government intends to sit down with us [but] how many months now? 18 months, so, our business should collapse before the government will come in? That is the problem; the government wants our business to collapse before stepping in. No! This is unfair,” he voiced out.

“That is the reason why we voted for Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. We gave him 2 billion old [Ghana cedis]; GHS200,000 new Ghana cedis, you can check it, [it was reported on] 13th May 2016, Abossey Okai Spare Parts Dealers [gave] GHS 200,000 to Nana Addo’s campaign,” he emphasised.

Mr Takyi Addo explained that: “The motive was because we thought Mahama [then-President of Ghana] was cheating us and not helping us, so, we wanted to boot Mahama out so Nana Addo will come in. Vice President Dr Bawumia [then-running mate to Mr Akufo-Addo] gave us a lot of promises, so, we were thinking that when you compare the two [Mahama and Akufo-Addo], they [NPP] can help, because our businesses were collapsing at that time but not knowing they are rather coming to deceive us”.

According to the PRO: “I was there and we had a leadership at that time, they presented the money to him [Mr Akufo-Addo]. I was part of the contribution; I contributed to the Nana Addo campaign”.

“I gave you money as help but you are rather killing my business [and] you want me to be happy? Helping you to come to power, protecting the ballot box, helping you financially, [with] my everything, [then] after getting power you are rather collapsing my business? So, I should sit down and fold my arms and be watching you? No! This is unfair, we are all Ghanaians and we need to call a spade a spade. We want to tell the politicians to sit up. They shouldn’t compare Ghana money to Argentina money, I didn’t vote for Argentina, I voted for a Ghanaian president, period!”

The National Concerned Spare Parts Dealers Association has subsequently served notice of a demonstration slated for Friday, 21 September 2018 in Accra to register their displeasure.

A statement signed by Kwabena Agyei, Chairman of the Association, said: “The above-mentioned issues coupled with government’s introduction of its Bench Mark Value (BMV), which has almost tripled charges at the ports, have overburdened our members.

“We, therefore, wish, as law-abiding citizens, to register our dissatisfaction toward the government through a nation-wide demonstration which starts from Accra on the above-mentioned date.

“We wish to reiterate our commitment towards a peaceful demonstration.”