Re: Akufo-Addo’s health alert…

Once again, Ghanaweb has allowed its online ‘news’ outlet to be used to publish outright lies about Nana Akufo-Addo, by reproducing a story that was published on the front page of one of Ghana’s ruling party’s propaganda tabloids, the Republic, Monday, 7th October.

The following false claims were made in the said publication:-

1)    Claim: Nana Akufo-Addo’s health “may have relapsed, sending worrying signals through his campaign, the Republic newspaper has gathered.”

Fact: Nana Akufo-Addo has suffered no health relapse. He has been on the campaign trail as scheduled in his bid to be elected the 2016 Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party on October 18, 2014. He finished his campaign in the Brong Ahafo Region on Monday and he is now in the Ashanti Region, from where he will move to the Eastern Region. The only worrying signal must be in the camps of those who wish him ill.

2)    Claim: “Hints picked up by this newspaper indicates that the over 75-year-old aspiring presidential flagbearer of the NPP was last Tuesday taken under medical observation at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.”

Fact (i): Nana Akufo-Addo is not 75 years old; he is also not over 75. He celebrated his 70th birthday last March and we thank God for his life and well-meaning Ghanaians continue to pray for long life for him, knowing the plans he has for our dear nation.

Fact (ii): Nana Akufo-Addo was not taken last Tuesday to Korle Bu or any other hospital for medical observation. That claim is a complete fabrication.

3)    Claim: Sources told this paper that Akufo-Addo stayed at the premier hospital overnight. ”

Fact: Nana Akufo-Addo has not stayed overnight at Korle Bu or any other hospital since returning to Ghana in March to launch his campaign.

4)    Claim: “According to unconfirmed reports, doctors at the hospital advised him to be flown out of the country for better attention to his alleged heart condition.”

Fact (i):  Akufo-Addo could not have been advised by any doctor to be flown out for treatment since he hadn’t been to see any doctor as alleged. For the avoidance of doubt, he has no scheduled trip abroad for any medical treatment.

Fact (ii): He has no heart condition that would necessitate being flown out for treatment.

5)    Claim: “The octogenarian flagbearer hopeful of the NPP is said to be due for a surgery in November 2014.”

Fact: Akufo-Addo is not an octogenarian. An octogenarian is a person between the age of 80 and 89. This claim further exposes the undignified agenda of the paper. The 70-year-old they claim in the story that he is 75 has been elevated in the same story to be in his 80s.

6)    Claim: “Sources close to the ailing flagbearer told this newspaper that he would be abroad for three months. The source however denied he was going for medical treatment.”

Fact: Nana Akufo-Addo has no plans to travel abroad for three months. He is focusing on the October 18 contest and his schedule after that date would be determined by the result of the flagbearership contest.

7)    Claim: “Due to Akufo-Addo’s reported deteriorating health, his campaign scope is said to have been adjusted to reduce pressure on him; his running-mate, Dr. Mahmud Bawumia is said to have been tasked to handle his campaign in the Volta Region and the three northern regions while he [Akufo Addo] handles the remaining six regions.”

Fact:  In order to prosecute an effective campaign and within the time available, Nana Akufo-Addo has appointed sector and regional coordinators for his campaign. Dr Bawumia has served all throughout the campaign for the NPP flagbearership as Nana Akufo-Addo’s sector coordinator for the three regions in the North, just as Stephen Ntim has served as sector co-ordinator for the “Middle Belt” (Brong Ahafo, Ashanti and Eastern Regions), Hon. Kennedy Agyepong for the “South West” (Western and Central Regions), and Hon. Stanley Adjiri Blankson for the “South East” (Volta and Greater Accra Regions). Nana Akufo-Addo is very happy with the excellent work that his 2012 running mate is doing, along with the other sector and regional co-ordinators. He believes he is lucky to have an effective right-hand man in the person of Dr Bawumia, and, indeed, in the persons of his other sector and regional co-ordinators.

8)    Claim: “He was reported to have collapsed at home once and rushed to Akai House medical facility at Osu in Accra.”

Fact: This is not true. Nana Akufo-Addo never collapsed at home to be rushed to any medical facility.

 

9)    Claim: Inside the NPP, there have been claims that Nana Addo has a kidney problem and even recently went abroad for medical treatment.

Fact:  Nana Akufo-Addo does not have a kidney problem. He has not travelled abroad recently for any medical treatment. Since his return from the United Kingdom in March this year, he has been abroad on three occasions: i) to Nigeria, on March 25th, where he went as guest speaker at Verdant Zeal’s 3rd Innovention Lecture series in Lagos; ii) to South Africa, from May 1st to May 18th, where he led the Commonwealth Observer Mission to the South African general elections of 7th May; and iii) to England on 20th June for a ten-day visit.

 

10)  Claim: During the Election Petition hearing at the Supreme Court, Akufo-Addo is said to have abandoned the case and travelled abroad for medical treatment.

Fact: Yes, in the course of the election petition, Nana Akufo-Addo’s office issued a statement that he was going to London for scheduled engagements, including a medical check-up, which could not be varied. The whole world knows that he did not abandon the case and made arrangements to be fully represented in his absence.

When notifying the nation, on March 20th, of his intention to seek the presidential nomination of the NPP, when nominations opened, Nana Akufo-Addo said “I thank the Almighty I am able to say that I feel spiritually, psychologically, emotionally, intellectually, physically, and patriotically strong enough to remain in the hurly burly of frontline politics.” He stands by that statement. We recognise that Akufo-Addo’s record of public service, both to party and nation, remains a formidable obstacle to the political ambitions of those who are determined, despite the corruption, incompetence and mismanagement of their rule, to perpetuate themselves in power and who will, therefore, go to any extents to try to blacken him. The “health alert” is the latest incident in this long line of nefarious propaganda.

He is, however, confident of the strength of his message, his vision, his candidacy, and his body and, by the grace of God, he will win, first, the endorsement of his party on October 18 and in the 2016 general elections Ghanaians will go on to give him the opportunity to serve as President to realise his great vision for his beloved country. 

We have taken the trouble to answer these falsehoods in detail, in the hope that it will put to rest all these wishful speculations by malicious opponents. We believe the good people of Ghana will see these falsehoods for what they are, even when efforts continue to be made to manufacture them.

……signed……

Eugene Arhin

Press Secretary