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Kweku Baako Jnr says even though some members may have told the 'Kume Preko' story, it may not be the 'full story'.

The Managing Editor of the New Crusading Guide newspaper who was one of the leading members of 'Kume Preko' demonstration said comments made by the Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt jnr and others may be 'largely true' but there is more to be added because "no one person can tell the full story".

"You may have gaps with what Kwesi or Tarzan (Dr. Charles Wereko-Brobbey) have said; largely true but it's not the full story . . . that is why anybody who is telling the story must have minutes and other records," he added.

Akufo-Addo spokesperson

Kweku Baako has spoken against some distortions in the media which indicates that President Akufo-Addo was the Chairman of Kume Preko, (a group called Alliance for Change, in the run-up to the mammoth anti-government protests, “Kume Preko” in 1995).

According to him, it is never true that President Akufo-Addo was the Chairman and that at a meeting to mark the 25th anniversary, he got up to quickly make that correction.

"Nana Akufo-Addo was known as the Spokesperson of the Alliance for Change and not the Chairman and so I don't know where the distortion is coming from," he said.

He further narrated how former President Kufuor lost his gold watch.

Listen to him in the video below



Kume Preko background

The leadership of Alliance for Change led over 100,000 Ghanaians to embark on perhaps, the greatest demonstrations in the annals of the country's political history post the Fourth Republic, also known as ‘Kume Preko’, to wit, ‘You may as well kill me’.

This was a rare protest against the Jerry John Rawlings administration in the city of Accra on May 11, 1995, as the demonstrators opposed the introduction of the Value Added Tax (VAT) corruption and hardship, with chants of “Kume Preko”.

The demonstration was initially billed as a peaceful protest but quickly became violent when some persons shot live bullets into the crowd resulting in the deaths of four persons, some of whom were not part of the protests including a lad.

The demonstrations also took place in Kumasi and Takoradi with additional slogans "wiemi preko" and "siemi preko", loosely translated "finish murdering me quickly because my hardship is unbearable" and "bury me quickly".

The organisers were Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the current head of state; Dr. Charles Wereko-Brobbey, energy expert; Kwesi Pratt Jnr., journalist; Dr. Nyaho Tamakloe, politician; and Kweku Baako Jnr., journalist.

Others were Akoto Ampaw, attorney; Victor Newman, current Director of Research at the Jubilee House; Kwaku Opoku, politician; Napoleon Abdulai, politician; and Stanley Agyiri Blankson, who later became mayor of Accra.