Information on the Kokomelemele Mechanics Association could not be found among the sources consulted by the DIRB.

According to Africa Confidential, the Alliance for Change (AFC) is an anti-government umbrella group that is attempting to unite Ghanaian opposition parties into a broad coalition against President Jerry Rawlings (26 May 1995, 1). The AFC includes Nana Akuffo-Addo and Charles Wereko-Brobbey of the New People's Party; KanKam da Costa, Alhaji Asuma Banda and Mawuse Daki of the People's Convention Party, and Akoto Ampawa and Kwesi Pratt of the New Democratic Movement (ibid.).

In a statement by the Minister of Interior that was published in West Africa, AFC leaders and their political affiliations were reported as follows: Nyahoe Tamakloe, Akuffo Addo, Wireko-Brobbey and Kakraba-Cromwell of the New Patriotic Party; Kwesi Pratt, founder-leader of the Popular Party for Democracy and Development, and Kweku Baako of the People's Convention Party (29 May-4 June 1995, 841). In the same issue West Africa listed the leadership of the "opposition grouping" AFC as including: Akoto Ampaw, Nana Akufo-Addo, Kweku Baako Jr., Kakraba Cromwell, Dr. Nyako Tamakloe, Victor Newman, Kweku Opoku, Kwesi Pratt Jr., and Dr. Charles Wereko-Brobby (ibid., 840). The political affiliations of the AFC leaders are not given in this report.

According to several sources, the AFC organized demonstrations against a newly instituted value added tax (VAT) in Accra and other major cities in Ghana (AFP 23 June 1995; BBC World Service 26 May 1995; Africa Confidential 26 May 1995, 1; Africa Research Bulletin 27 June 1995, 11855; New African July-Aug. 1995, 27; West Africa 29 May-4 June 1995, 840; Deutsche Presse-Agentur 22 June 1995; 11 May 1995). For more information on the demonstration in Accra in which people were killed and injured, please consult Response to Information Request GHA22934.E of 5 February 1996, which is avaialble at Regional Documentation Centres.

For additional information on the AFC, please consult the attachments.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

Africa Confidential [London]. 26 May 1995. Vol. 36, No. 11. "Ghana: Kume Preko-Kill Me Now."

Africa Research Bulletin: Political, Social and Cultural Series [Oxford]. 27 June 1995. Vol. 32, No. 5. "Ghana: VAT Claims Victims."

Agence France Presse (AFP) [Paris, in English]. 23 June 1995. "Opposition Demonstrates in West of Country." (FBIS-AFR-95-122 26 June 1995, p. 12)

BBC World Service [London, in English}]. 26 May 1995. "Government Says ACDR Acted Independently in Riots." (FBIS-AFR-95-103 30 May 1995, p. 25)

Deutsche Presse-Agentur. 22 June 1995. BC Cycle. "Anti-Government Demonstrations Continue in Ghana." (NEXIS)

_____. 11 May 1995. BC Cycle. "Two Killed, 17 Wounded as Thousands Join Demonstrations." (NEXIS)

New African [London]. July-August 1995. Mike Afrani. "Ghana: The Killer Tax."

West Africa [London]. 29 May-4 June 1995. Ajoa Yeboah-Afari. "Ghana: VAT Rising Shakes Capital."

_____. 29 May-4 June 1995. "The Official Response."

Africa Confidential [London]. 19 January 1996. Vol. 37, No. 2. "Ghana: Rolling with the Punches," pp. 3-4.

_____. 26 May 1995. Vol. 36, No. 11. "Ghana: Kume Preko Kill Me Now," pp. 1-2.

Agence France Presse (AFP) [Paris, in English]. 23 June 1995. "Opposition Demonstrates in West of Country." (FBIS-AFR-95-122 26 June 1995, p. 12)

The Associated Press (AP). 3 January 1996. Gilbert Ayittey. "The Largest Opposition Coalition on Wednesday Demanded the Resignation of President Jerry Rawlings." (NEXIS)

Deutsche Presse-Agentur. 25 November 1995. BC Cycle. Mawusi Afele. "Ghana Opposition Lurches Towards Electoral Alliance." (NEXIS)

_____. 22 June 1995. BC Cycle. "Anti-Government Demonstrations Continue in Ghana." (NEXIS)

GBC Radio [Accra, in English]. 3 January 1996. "Ghana; Group Calls on President to Resign Following Disagreement with Vice-President." (BBC Summary 5 Jan. 1996/NEXIS)

_____. 1 November 1995. "Ghana; Alliance for Change Advocates Formation of United Opposition Front." (BBC Summary 2 Nov. 1996/NEXIS)

_____. 11 August 1995. "Ghana; Alliance Launches Programme to Encourage Voter Registration." (BBC Summary 14 Aug. 1995/NEXIS)

_____. 8 June 1995. "Ghana; National Democratic Congress, Alliance for Change Welcome VAT Withdrawal." (BBC Summary 10 June 1995/NEXIS)

New African [London]. February 1996. Baffour Ankomah. "Has Rawlings Thrown His Last Punch?" pp. 26-27.

Reuters. 31 July 1995. BC Cycle. "Ghana Opposition Urges Coalition Against Rawlings." (NEXIS)

West Africa [London]. 20-26 November 1995. "Alliance Under Fire," p. 1786.