The crowd pulling contractors feel absolutely no remorse for taking money from politicians, as they believe politicians are equally shameless in exploiting and deceiving the people
Every election in the country comes with its own intrigues, drama, and unique practices, shaped by those working behind the scenes. Among these are the crowd-pulling contractors—key players who determine whether a politician’s rally becomes a resounding success or falls flat.
According to one Esimu Timm who has been on the job for years, “We are not interested whether a politician wins the election or not, our job is to swell the rally with people for the customer.”
“The tactic of artificially inflating crowd sizes is an effective way to give false hope to loyal party supporters while misleading opponents into believing you are more prepared than you are. This approach is particularly effective in your opponents’ strongholds, where it can sow confusion and disrupt their confidence.,” he indicated.
Asked whether it is proper to give false hopes while taking money from the politicians, Esimu Timm explains that “politicians have let the people down in Ghana, and as a result, people feel entitled to receive their share of benefits during political activities like rallies, campaigns, and the placement of campaign posters. The understanding is that once the elections are over, people rarely receive any personal benefits.”
Describing their modus operandi, he revealed: “All it takes is offering them between GHC50.00 and GHC200.00, depending on the event. Provide transportation, t-shirts, and other paraphernalia, along with some sachets of Alomobitters, Adonko 1 2 3, or Obuase, and you are set for the day.”
He made it clear that the crowd pullers feel absolutely no remorse for taking money from politicians, as they believe politicians are equally shameless in exploiting and deceiving the people.
Story: Kwabena Kyekyeku
