Short speeches are good for Akufo-Addo’s own health – MP

The Member of Parliament for Asuogyaman Constituency in the Eastern Region, Thomas Ampen Darko has observed that it was for a good reason why President Akufo-Addo kept his State of the Nation Address brief.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP underscored that the president may not have the stamina to stand for long, explaining that a short address will save Nana Akufo-Addo from collapsing.

Mr. Ampem Darko was contributing to discussions on Onua FM’s Ghana Dadwene hosted by Bright Kwasi Asempa on Tuesday.

“Ghanaians would not want to see him falling down, so it was good he was brief albeit the statement should have contained all the necessary things Ghanaians wanted to hear”, the MP said.

The MP who is the former District Chief Executive for Asuogyaman noted, “you cut your coat according to your size so it was good he chose his speech in the duration but he did not touch on most things in the sector”. He faulted President Akufo-Addo for failing to mention positive things that were achieved by former President Mahama.

Mr. Ampem Darko cited for instance that the major projects executed by the NDC-led government in the water sector alone, and yet yesterday address did not capture any. But the Member of Parliament for Hemang Lower Denkyira in the Central Region, Bright Wireko-Brobby differed in opinion, noting that argument about the length of the speech was neither here nor there.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP analysed, for example, in examination, some people write few but they get pass marks, others write more but they fail so the argument about the duration of the speech does not hold.

He also mentioned said the then NDC administration did not give the NPP administration adequate handing over notes.

“You cannot trace any handing over notes in 2012, it would have been difficult to trace a handing over notes if they had lost in 2012 so we went into the 2016 handing over notes and realized it is more darker than what we see”.