The Minority Leader in Parliament, Hon. Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu has slammed President John Dramani Mahama for saying the opposition NPP is short-sighted to see the reason for his frequent travels outside Ghana.

According to the Member of Parliament for Suame Constituency in the Ashanti Region, "if the President says the opposition is short-sighted then his [President’s] vision suffers impairment; glaucoma in one of his eye and cataract in the other eye, not to see that some of the trips are unnecessary for the nation’s growth".

Fuming on Oman Fm’s Morning Show National Agenda, the Minority Leader said it is uncalled for on the part of the President to castigate the opposition whenever he was under criticism, reiterating it is no longer surprising that his ministers and communicators pour invectives on people who disagree with them.

To him, the reason adduced by the President regarding his frequent travels that it’s because of his current position as Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and President of Ghana is not tenable considering his recent commissioning of a stadium in Nigeria

He pointed out former President Kufuor was ECOWAS Chair on two occasions, yet his travels were not as frequent as that of President Mahama, and even Kufuor’s trips yielded positive dividends for the country unlike President Mahama’s.

“If we complain and the President says we are short-sighted then with all due respect to the President, if we are short-sighted, his vision suffers impairment, glaucoma in one eye and cataract in one eye; otherwise he won’t say what he said to us. Should a leader talk like this to his people? We all have foul mouth but because of civility we intend to speak well in public. When offered the opportunity to respond to issues which people lack clarity on, explain to them for them a better understanding why you travel a lot but don’t insult them.

“No wonder that his Ministers and Communicators insult people. This government said they were going to remove schools under trees and that’s a good decision but how can we keep quiet when the same 2 units of classrooms and kindergarten which cost GH¢85,000 during Kufuor’s era, NDC within 2 years into office gave similar contract to the tune of Gh¢350,000.

I can’t say it is wrong for President Mahama to travel but he is being measured in the same way he measured former President Kufuor. Now you are suffering the same fate but Kufuor didn’t travel to commission a stadium; such travelling does not yield any results and this is what we are telling him to stop,” he chided.