General News of Tuesday, 9 October 2018

Source: rainbowradioonline.com

Nana Addo is insensitive, travels at the expense of the poor - Koku Anyidoho

President Akufo-Addo left Ghana to attend the 5th Edition of the Financial Times Africa Summit President Akufo-Addo left Ghana to attend the 5th Edition of the Financial Times Africa Summit

Deputy General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Koku Anyidoho, has described Akufo-Addo as an insensitive president.

The aspiring national general secretary is of the view the president is insensitive due to his 'frequent travels' at the expense of the economic difficulties facing the nation.

"This government is insensitive. Spare parts dealers were complaining bitterly about the economic challenges they were facing and the Vice President had the audacity to describe them as persons rented by the NDC to attack government," Koku Anyidoho said.

He added that: "Abossey Okai spare dealers are suffering. They have been deceived by the Finance Minister that taxes on their imports had been reduced."

According to him, "Ghanaians he said will show the NPP the exit in 2020 because the NPP has brought untold hardship on Ghanaians, job losses and unprecedented corruption".

Koku Anyidoho slammed President Nana Addo for embarking on luxurious travels which are of no value and benefits to the nation. He said, all kinds of invitations are sent to the presidency and it would be important for the president to know which ones to prioritize.

"Ghanaians did not vote for Akufo-Addo to be travelling on daily basis. Some of the travels are due to the per diems, which is $5,000 a month. He is also travelling with friends and family who are all entitled to the per diem," he claimed.

"To move the president is very expensive especially if you want to use the presidential jet. Do you know how much it will cost him to park the presidential jet? It is very very expensive to move the president," he added.

A political science lecturer at the University of Development Studies (UDS), Dr. Dominic Degraft Arthur has also underscored the need to make use of our ambassadors and the Foreign Minister for some of these travels.

The President, he noted, should focus mainly on the local businesses so that he would be able to have detailed information on challenges confronting the nation.

He concluded that the frequent travels should be curtailed so that others can as representatives in such countries.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, left Ghana on Friday, 5th October 2018, to attend the 5th Edition of the Financial Times Africa Summit taking place in London, the United Kingdom from 7th to 9th October.

The Summit, being held on the theme “Africa Means Business”, is featuring “high profile speakers in business, politics and economics, as well as Heads of State committed to making business central to their development goals.”

President Akufo-Addo will also hold meetings with CEOs of some important global enterprises, whilst in London. On Wednesday, 10th October 2018, the President will fly to Yerevan, Armenia, to lead the Ghanaian delegation to the 17th Summit of Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie, which will take place from 11th to 12th October. Ghana, which has been an Associate Member of La Francophonie since 2006, will be admitted at the Summit as a Full Member. Ghana will then be only one of a handful of countries that enjoy full membership of both the Commonwealth and La Francophonie.

The President will, after the Summit, fly to Paris, France, for a series of meetings with some potential investors on Saturday, 13th October, 2018. He will return to Ghana on Sunday, 14th October, 2018, and, in his absence, the Vice President, Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, shall, in accordance with Article 60(8) of the Constitution, act in his stead.

President Akufo-Addo was accompanied by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchway, and officials of the Presidency and the Foreign Ministry.