A video with muted audio portrays president Akufo-Addo furiously ordering the Accra Regional Minister, Henri Quartey with an unpresidential body language.
This incident happened to have taken place during the Green Ghana Day occasion held on the campus of Legon on Friday June 9, 2023.

The publicly wild gesticulations from the president as captured on camera in such a well-attended function were worrying and unsightly scenes.

The reported source of Nana Akufo-Addo’s fury emanated from the Chief, Nii Torgbor Obodai Ampaw, and elders of Mempeasem who did not get up in honor of the national anthem while it was being sung.

If indeed this were what transpired during the occasion, one would have thought the President should have calmly spoken to the Regional Minister standing close by him to convey his displeasure to the Chief and elders in question instead of wild gesticulations.

Even when exuberant teenagers err in their actions or inactions, the adults do not often yell at them and take higher grounds. Rather, the elderly use their wealth of experience to advise them. It is thus hugely baffling to see how the President responded to that prevailing situation involving our traditional authorities in public.

I have a few questions.

Does this mean that president Akufo-Addo spontaneously responds to unpleasant
‘emotional stimuli’ in this manner?

Is it not also the case that the raging galamsey operations destroying forests, farms, and water bodies are defeating the aims of this Green Ghana Project?
Has this possibly angered the Chief and his elders to fail to stand up for the national anthem in a silent protest on the Green Ghana Day or was it just a mishap?

The President’s body language during that occasion was quite troubling and unpresidential since it was done in the public glare. Ghanaians generally revere our chiefs and this culture should be continued including the president himself regardless of the circumstance.

I am tempted to believe that the President serves as a role model to many and the unfortunate video of him rebuking the traditional authority in circulation in the media space was invariably unfortunate and unpresidential, to say the least. Let us see less of such instances of Mr. President before his tenure gets to a close in 2024. As often said, a memorable legacy or a good name is better than riches.