Economic crunch: Another Rawlings will rise up and cause a big mess – Nunoo-Mensah

Former Chief of Defense Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces, Brigadier-General (Rtd.) Joseph Nunoo-Mensah, has suggested that the worsening economic situation in the country will lead to an uprising as citizens of West African nations including Ghana are boiling with anger.

According to him, the leaders of nations are siphoning the state funds into their private pockets and living extravagant lifestyles in the full glare of the citizenry.

In an interview granted to Accra-based Joy News, Nunoo-Mensah opined that if this trajectory continues there will be a ‘big explosion.’

Citing the recent Arise Ghana demonstration, the retired officer said there will be a time when someone with the character traits of late President Jerry John Rawlings will rise up to save starving citizens.

Addressing the issue of the rising insecurity within the West African sub-region, he said: “The was demonstration the other day…Arise Ghana. You don’t care, you don’t mind them. Another Rawlings is going to get up and cause a big mess, bigger than Rawlings’ mess. If people are hungry…I get calls…people are hungry…This is not a small issue.

“They can’t get enough of local food – kenkey – to eat and we are siphoning their money and buying expensive [cars]. There will be more Land Cruisers in Accra than you will find in Tokyo. Are we crazy or what’s wrong with us?
“When you behave like that you will get a reaction from the youth… It is because of anger. The anger shouldn’t arise but we are causing it,” Brigadier-General Nunoo-Mensah said.

Arisa Ghana protesters poured onto the streets of Accra on June 28 and 29 in protest against worsening economic hardship.

While the first day of the demonstration was marred with violence as police clashed with some protesters, the second day was peaceful eliciting praise from the Ghana Police Service.