General News of Tuesday, 18 October 2022
Source: www.ghanaweb.com
The main language Ghanaian politicians understand is when they are threatened that unless a project is fully executed, they will not get the needed votes from a particular community. This is often described as 'political blackmail' but the responses of the President have been problematic. Many have described it as him being 'arrogant' GhanaWeb in this report brings to its readers two instances where the response of the President to such political blackmail is described as 'arrogant'. Threat by people of Kwabre and Akufo-Addo's response For the past six years of being in office, many are criticising the President for stating that he is unmoved by voters who threaten him just because they are seeking their fair share of the national cake. During his recent four-day tour in the Ashanti region, which is described as the political 'world bank' of the ruling party, some electorates are said to have threatened to vote against the party if their roads are not fixed before the 2024 elections. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in a radio interview on Monday, October 18, responded that he is not frightened by the threats. Speaking in an interview on Kumasi-based OTEC FM, the President responded to a question about threats by the people of Kwabre and Manso. Reacting to the threats President Akufo-Addo replied, “no problem. I am saying people make those kinds of threats; me they don’t frighten me.” He explained that although he understands the masses may support a party with an expectation, he, however, does not see the need to threaten the government if it fails to deliver. “If you decide to vote for the NDC in the general election, it is your choice and that is not my problem. No one will force you to vote for someone,” President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo stressed. In a reaction, Dr. Richard Amoako Baah in raised serious concerns about President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo's response to the people of Kwabre and Manso in the Ashanti Region. To him, the President is exhibiting such a ‘reckless’ attitude because he is not contesting for the 2024 election. “This is not the first time the President has spoken this way and it is precisely because he is not running for re-election…what he is doing is endangering the fortunes of the NPP in 2024 as if he has no stake in it, so he is saying anything. He said it several times, it is not good,” Dr. Amoako Baah explained. He observed that Akufo-Addo before becoming a President was speaking to Ghanaians to try him but, “this same person is the one talking like this now, it is not appropriate.”