"retur to civilian rule" in 1979.
explains.
AFTER over five years of incompetent military tule the everworsening economic situation has reached crisis point. Inflation 1s more tan ou per cool Bane foodstufts and essentials are cither unobtainable or priced above the means bi the majoricy of the people Products such as cinned fish and cocoa, which are produced in Ghana, are nowhere ta be tound, while across the border in Ivory Coast and Togo they are sold inflated on the black macket in return for forne long London Guardion has famine in families bave reduced to only one meal every two days. In mineral and agricultural wealth the sight of small children with is not uncommon, while many more are dying from malnutri BOD-ICIRLOO DISCISC But the ruling military clique has still seized the opportunity to protie from the he masses. Farmers and traders nave coco forced to seil cneir prices, only for such produce 1o be passed au to the wives of top army officers wbe sell it themselves at an exorbicant Maize, for example, is bought A 19-day political strike by professionais in Ghana was called off lest week after un assurance from militar dictator Ignatius Acheampong that the country would The facade created for external consumption is of an orderly return to democracy. The reality is rather different. as the NATIONAL UNION OF GHANAIANS (UK)
for 580 a bag from the farmers and resold in the ope intimidation by the armed forces. tarmers no codice lo the market to seli thas creating even greater food shortages. power at Supreme Military Council (SMC responded to the people's criticisms by advocating the settingup of a 'Union Government'. mis, tney say, would bo a one party system, comprising repres entatives from all social, religi aus anu moal groupings wren freed from the opportunism and would lend the country in th Acheampong, head of the SMC jovernment • prosperie and sure hat thi prosperly etament would be UNSUBTLE of In reality the proposai is an allempt to make concessions to other members of the culing classes (who have recently en grumbling about their lac bolding on tight to the reins of political power The Ghanaian peuple awate that, for the SMC and ils marke tronies, the interests nation' are synonomous wich the interests of a smail minority of bring their corrupt.
Beds and aspirations of th Ghanaian people.
Responding to tbe SMCs in ruling vitation to 'openly express" their views on the Union Government, markers students and ancelect als made no attempt to hide beir cynicism, and atized the opportunEw lo call on the 3Ni0 back to the barracks and hand over pOWEr to a peopie'5 government.
The response of the military clique was to increase its repression and to stile the tew deme cratic rights char had survived under its dictatorship. were est au creuse to make DE ploited or atlemared large-scale arrest dared to criticise Lhe SMC open allowed to ty, wlule many other potentially subversive al all.
On he sous ton ho streets in penceful demonstra Lions against the deteriorating SONORE SUSH BIE SI TUIL their rejection of the Union Gov ernment proposal.
OLE BOES LES TORIC DY TOIR ers, schoolchildren and bulookers.
of the profiteeriog parasites hospitals INJURIES 10 20 provisional of Rumours to of those who elements have been man were killed strations all They other
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE 28 July 1977 p.11