Handshake furore: Akufo-Addo didn’t snub Mahama - Tema West NPP Chair

The Tema West Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), has defended President Akufo-Addo’s much-criticised half-hearted handshake with former President John Mahama.

Dennis Amfo-Sefah says the President did not snub anybody as is being claimed.

Popularly called Nana Boakye, he explained that the President appeared to have been a bit snobbish because he was in a hurry to cater for other dignitaries.

“The President is a perfect gentleman and will not do that. If you watch the video, you will realise that there were so many dignitaries that were waiting for the President to exchange pleasantries with and he gave the former President a quick handshake...not a snub as is being virally reported and moved on to attend to others” he said.

According to him, the backlash against the President was not fair, adding that he was confident that in the coming days, the seat of government would release a statement to clear the misunderstanding.

The President has come under public heat after a video that captured him seemingly snubbing former President John Mahama at a high-profile meeting on Wednesday went viral.

In the video, the President is seen exchanging hearty and warm handshakes with dignitaries at the maiden edition of the Kofi Annan Peace and Security Forum in Accra.

When he reached former President Mahama and he gave him an awkwardly quick handshake that gave the impression that he was not on good terms with his predecessor.

Both President Akufo-Addo and former President Mahama attended the programme as invited guests at the maiden edition of the Kofi Annan Peace and Security Forum with the President as the Guest Speaker and the Former President, a panel member.

Along with public furore, the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) described the President’s action as petty.

But Nana Boakye has hit back at the NDC, accusing the opposition party of trying to raise a storm in a teacup.

“The NDC are only doing what is expected of them – ride on this none issue to make some political capital, but it won’t wash. President Akufo-Addo is not a disrespectful man and nothing will change that,” Nana Boakye said.

The Tema West NPP Chairman advised the NDC to stop wasting its time in an attempt to make political capital out of the issue and rather concentrate its energies on coming up with viable governance alternatives to selling to Ghanaians.