Gladys Fumi, a 96-year-old resident of “Mrs Cudjoe,” a suburb of Effiakuma in the Effia Constituency of the Western Region, showed unrelenting willpower when she joined hundreds of people in the National Democratic Congress’ “Enough is Enough” demonstration this morning.
From her house, she walked for 45 minutes to the venue of the demonstration: the Takoradi Shopping Mall.
And when the demonstrators set off, she was at the frontline, and for the next three hours, she marched on, keeping pace with the procession.
Draped in a red scarf, matching blouse, and a wrapper, our cameras saw her huffing and puffing amidst chants of, “We are changing.”
She told our reporters, “It is the desire to ensure that the right atmosphere precedes the 2024 elections that is energizing me to march,” without breaking a sweat.
“I’ve lived for many years, under a number of administrations, and I can say things are different now. So I want to see change. I want to see things normalised.”
After the regional leadership of the National Democratic Congress had submitted their petition to the Electoral Commission, our cameras spotted Agnes Fumi again. We decided to offer her a ride home, but she declined, saying, “I’m walking back, all in my bid to demonstrate that once you purpose to make a difference, you don’t relent.” She added, “I pray that the Electoral Commission will see a reason to ensure that all the suspicions raised against it are erased.”
Some onlookers view the demands by the National Democratic Congress as fair.
According to them, the Electoral Commission has itself to blame, as it was slow in addressing earlier complaints.
“We have to monitor them, boot for boot,” one resident said.
For Elder Felix Ntiamoah of the Pentecost Church, his reason for a “second look” at the voter register stems from personal experience.
“During the registration, I went to check my name, and it was there. Recently, I went to check again, and I did not see it. So it tells you there are gaps that need to be filled. Imagine the number of people who might be in my position.”
By Eric Yaw Adjei
