Thousands of workers across Ghana have taken to the streets to protest about the rise in the cost of living.
The nationwide strike was organised by the country's largest trade union congress.
It says the government is mismanaging the economy as inflation is running at close to 15%.
The protesters called for President John Dramani Mahama to restore the 23% subsidy that has been removed from petroleum products.
The national currency, the cedi, has depreciated against the US dollar by more than 27% this year.
BBC Africa's Sammy Darko in the capital, Accra, says the slump in the currency has led to the price of consumer goods such as sugar and fuel.
Taxes have also gone up and utilities by more than 50%, he says.
In Accra, the protesters, mainly clad in red, chanted, sang, danced and blew vuvuzelas amidst brass band music, for about four hours creating traffic jams in the city centre, he says.
In Accra the protest went on for about four hours
One of the many hand-written placards they held read: "Somalia's shilling is doing better than Ghana's cedi".
Leaders of the demonstration presented a four-page petition to Haruna Iddrisu, the minister of employment and labour relations.
The minister, surrounded by dozens of armed officers, tried to address the crowd which kept shouting and hooting through his address, our correspondent says.
He eventually found a megaphone to tell them that the government would work "fastidiously to invigorate the economy to make life easier not harder for the working people and citizens of Ghana".
"You have made eloquent pronouncement of concerns through this act of demonstration… the placards you carry reflect a mirror some of your concerns," he said.
But Mr Iddrisu said all Ghanaians would have to make "some sacrifices for the economy to recover".
*Lots of African countries are experiencing this problem...The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer and there is no balance!...pity
God should intercede for us ooooo.... That why the rich are getting richer and the poor dies in penury.
ReplyDeleteGod will see us through
African countries nd their government. No wonder dey r addressed as third world cos dey r still backward in their politics and economy
ReplyDeleteThat is exactly the kind of protest we need in Nigeria, the people need to revolt
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My dear! No balance at all. All they do is promise you heaven and earth before election and when they've finally won, they steal everything and make life miserable for people they are serving. Ife chukwu ge kwe!
ReplyDeleteThe government worldwide. "Thieves"........
ReplyDeleteThere's is so much hunger in the world now. The gap between the rich and the poor is increasing daily. But then, if Ghanaians are protesting cos of the issues listed above, what do Nigerians now do?
ReplyDeleteOh well, Ghana too?
ReplyDeleteYet they attack Nigerians as if they've got a near perfect govt in place..
Y'all shld thank God you don't have Boko haram added to your problems
Even ghana?
ReplyDeletePls visit my shoe blog
www.glowysofiscated.blogspot.com
Africa oh
ReplyDeleteLawd this is getting out of hand. The time to save and make proper investment is here, save save n save cos its getting worse daily while some greedy lots are getting bigger.
ReplyDeleteThe crude oil curse is heading their way...sad for africa
ReplyDeleteMy dear, at least they don't hv the likes of bombing and more missing ppl by the day 2 deal with...all they're crying for, is just high cost of living...still a pass mark. Gbam!
ReplyDeletePatt Ogar, hv noticed dt after some corrections been made on ur typos or wrong English, u've decided 2 stay on check, keep 2 ur simple one or two words...Chai, English is indeed a spirit...lol
ReplyDeletePatt Ogar, hv noticed dt after some corrections been made on ur typos or wrong English, u've decided 2 stay on check, keep 2 ur simple one or two words...Chai, English is indeed a spirit...lol
ReplyDeleteGhana's economy is dead!
ReplyDeleteWhen I first came to Accra in 2012, the value of the cedi to dollar was 1$ = 1.97ghc
today, the cedi has dropped to 1$ = 3.8ghc.
I blame the Ghanaians for what they are suffering now, when Nana Akufo Addo wanted to help salvage the country's economy and educational system, they hated him and claimed they needed jobs and good roads, they refused to vote for him and voted for Mahama instead... today, Accra is suffering light off, water crisis, economy crisis and all.
This is what you get when you vote out
Of pity. Ghanaians are suffering and I feel for them, but at the same time, they made the choice, they should deal with it.
Africa which way???? When are we getting it right????. Hmmmmm........
ReplyDeleteI wish nigerians can gather and protest against the high rate of unemployment and frustration in nigeria. As an entrepreneur I write these text with serious agony and in a lot of debt,my bank charges will most definitely lead me 2 commit suicide,my house rent is due(500k),my church member is out on the street and my phone is full of missed calls(I shouldn't have promised 2 help her)my fiancée doesn't want to accept that the money is drying up,my unemployed cousins and friends are giving me heart attack with wasapp,bbm,fb messages. What about the girlfriends with their annoying requests for money,my employed friends who keep asking for loan and the list goes on.
ReplyDeleteTo make it worse,my drivers(workers) are accumulating debts for me,(they just won't stop delivering less products for the gas stations)am even afraid 2 go 2 church these days,don't know who I will meet again that needs help(and I just can't refuse them)
Woke up and realised I was 33yrs,no wife no child but with issues that will nearly push me 2 my early grave,pls Nigeria youths pls arise and protest,this country is getting harder 2 survive in
Taiwo elenu on point
Plss oga do n marry,life is too short.
Deletedo you know that two Nigerians residing in Ghana joined the demo raising Nigerian flags.they were arrested on the spot.personally,i don't think my naija folks should have joined in the demo.but i too know no go let naija rest.lets see how it turns out.hope they dont go to jail...GHANA BABE
ReplyDeleteTheir business.
ReplyDeleteanonymous 11:38 AM this is for you: easy oh dont go and kill yourself for nothing. i hope you know if you disappear today all these people disturbing and wassapping you will continue to live their lives? Be honest to people and live within your means. God will help you.
ReplyDelete