A wealthy Ghanaian businessman revealed himself as the masked presidential candidate featured on billboards in major cities in recent weeks. But his launch was most notable for highlighting the government’s apparent fear of a new youth-led populist movement similar to others sweeping the continent. The cancellation of the New Africa Convention came as a surprise to many, but Ghana’s government is clearly unwilling to accommodate events that could make it look bad in an election year. The move to use security forces to enforce the cancellation suggests a deeper fear that the populism gripping some young people elsewhere in the continent could spread to Ghana. SOURCE: SEMAFOR

Source: The North Africa Journal January 12, 2024 16:38 UTC