Lands and Natural Resources Minister-designate, Emmanuel Armah Kofi-Buah, has clarified his remarks about former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, following backlash over comments he made during the latter's final State of the Nation Address (SONA) on January 3, 2025.

Speaking during his vetting by Parliament’s Appointments Committee on January 27, 2025, he stated that his earlier critique of the former president was not intended as a personal attack but rather a reflection of the frustrations expressed by Ghanaians over the previous administration’s policies.

“I have a lot of respect for President Akufo-Addo and any president who occupies this highest office of our land.

“The decisions they are confronted with are enormous and grave, and I don’t think we take that lightly at all. My comments were directed at his government, reflecting the views of the Ghanaian people who felt they had gone through significant hardships,” myjoyonline.com quoted him to have said.

The controversy stems from Armah Kofi-Buah’s remarks following Akufo-Addo’s final SONA, where he criticized the then administration.

At the time, he highlighted issues such as economic hardships, unsustainable debt levels, high youth unemployment, and what he described as “reckless borrowing.”

“The people of Ghana have already given their verdict on the true state of the country, and that verdict…Mr. President, you will be remembered as the first president who was cushioned by the IMF when you began and are still being cushioned at the end of your term,” he remarked.

During the vetting, Minority Chief Whip Frank Annor Dompreh pressed Armah Kofi-Buah to explain the tone of his comments and whether he considered them appropriate.

AM/KA

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