'You don't vote for me' comment was a 'little joke' - Mepe queen mother tells media

Queen Mother of Mepe, Mamaga Adzo Srako IV, has censured the media for reporting comments President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo made earlier this week, during a visit to commiserate with flood victims, out of context.

She stated in an interview that the president's comments to the effect that he does not get votes from people in the region were at best a little joke which the media unduly dwelt on.

She lamented that it was rather unfortunate that the media chose to major in the minors and eventually ended up deflecting from the plight of the suffering people who are facing a humanitarian crisis because of flooding.

“The president made promises that immediately he’ll see to us, and in the long term, he’ll see to us. However, the little joke the president told, that if it were because of votes, he would not have come here, has rather become the news,” she lamented.

“That’s what you [the media] are circulating instead of the talks about the disaster that has befallen us. You chose to rather make a big deal out of the harmless joke by the president,” she added.

“We were not pleased with you journalists,” she declared.

On the issue of the floods and possible implications in the short to medium term, she expressed fear of a disease outbreak if immediate steps are not taken on a number of conditions.

“The flood waters are becoming dark, it’s becoming black, it’s becoming thick, it’s giving off a bad smell. This means it is seriously contaminated, harbouring disease and sickness.

“If we keep crossing these waters, we’ll be overtaken by diseases we cannot contain,” she warned.

She informed the media that “this morning, we spoke to the District Chief Executive – we need immediate action”.

Th the view of the Mepe Queen Mother: “Either we get a road that will take us to the camp, as they barricade the river, or they evacuate the people back into town, so that they won’t have to be crossing all those waters again.”

Akosombo Dam Spillage: Queen Mother of Mepe, Mamaga Adzo Srako, Expresses Displeasure with Journalists Reportage of President Akufo-Addo's 'You Don't Vote For Me' Comment#UTVNews pic.twitter.com/kkcT2mSjII

— UTV Ghana (@utvghana) October 18, 2023

What did Akufo-Addo say:

I need everybody here (to understand) and I hope you take the message all across… that when these things happen and the government acts, politics does not come into the matter at all.

When I took the oath of office as president, I took the oath of office as president for every single individual in Ghana, of all the people in Ghana, all districts.

And whether they voted for me or not, once I have taken the oath of office, I am the president of all the people.

So Togbe, I want the people here, beginning with you and the elders to understand that when something like this happens and the government acts, the government is acting for Ghanaians, all Ghanaians.

I came here because Ghanaians are having difficulties and suffering. And it is my responsibility to try and help.

Because if it is the question of counting who votes for me and who doesn’t vote for me? I shouldn’t be here because you don’t vote for me. But that is not my concern. And in any event, one day you would vote for me and my party.

So Togbe, I came here this afternoon to express my sympathies and to commiserate with all the people in the Mepe area. I chose Mepe because this is the area that has been most affected.



Watch a video of the president's full remarks below (from 48:00):



SARA

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