President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was marketing the Northern attire, fugu, to the international community during the Independence Day anniversary, and, so, the backlash from critics that he refused to wear the Ghana@60 anniversary cloth is “sad,” presidential spokesperson Mustapha Hamid has said.

Some Ghanaians have criticised Nana Akufo-Addo and Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and their spouses for not wearing the anniversary cloth. Former Presidents Jerry John Rawlings and John Dramani Mahama were among some of the prominent personalities who wore the cloth during the 6 March anniversary at the Black Star square in Accra.

Explaining the choice of the president’s wardrobe on the Executive Breakfast Show (EBS) on Class91.3FM on Wednesday, 8 March, Mr Hamid said Nana Akufo-Addo had an opportunity to sell a Ghanaian attire to the world and he did just that.

“The president had the opportunity on that day when we had all these international guests and visitors from everywhere to showcase the northern fugu. That one too has become a crime? The president had an opportunity to sell these our northern artisans who are toiling every day and don’t have international market for our fugu. …I’ve been weeping [over the criticism],” he stated.

“So, now this president who wears our traditional dress to market it to our international guest and creates a market for our hard working northerners who weave the smoke has become [a bad person]? ...It is sad in this country,” he lamented.