President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s comment that he made to the people of the Volta Region when he inspected the flood areas was unpresidential, a Professor at the University of Ghana, Ransford Gyampo, has said.
Professor Gyampo indicated that in times of disaster, the president’s utterances should inspire confidence in the people and not dampen their spirit.
President Akufo-Addo, while interacting with the people of Mepe who were affected by the flood caused by the Dam Spillage on Monday, October 16, indicated that he is president for all Ghanaians irrespective of whether or not they voted for him.
The President assured the chiefs and the people of Mepe and the other towns in the North, South, and Central Tongu areas in the Region, a stronghold of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), that the government is going to do whatever it can within its powers to alleviate their plight.
He said “When I took the oath of office as president I took the oath of office as president for every single individual in Ghana, of all the people in Ghana, all districts whether they voted for me or not, once I have taken the oath of office I am the president of all the people.
“So Togbe, you and your elders, I want you to understand that when something like this happens and the government acts government is acting for Ghanaians.
THERE HAS BEEN WIDESPREAD CRITICISM OF PRESIDENT @NAKUFOADDO AFTER HIS COMMENTS LINKING HIS VISIT TO COMMUNITIES SUBMERGED BY THE SPILLING OF THE AKOSOMBO DAM TO VOTES.
THERE’S MORE IN THE FOLLOWING REPORT. #TV3NEWDAY PIC.TWITTER.COM/5BOZADQ0AQ
— #TV3GH (@TV3_GHANA) OCTOBER 17, 2023
“I came here because Ghanaians are having difficulties and suffering and it is my responsibility to try and help. If it is the question of counting who votes for me and who doesn’t vote for me I shouldn’t be here because you don’t vote for me but that is not my concern. In any event one day, you will vote for me and my party.
“I came here this afternoon to express my sympathies and to commiserate with all the people in the Mepe area, I chose Mepe because this is the area that has been most affected.
“We have to also be very grateful for the work of VRA, the preparation they have been making over the years in such a situation, the simulation exercise, and all the things they have been doing to prepare for this including the sensitization. Because of the good that they have done up until now, by the grace of God, not one single individual has lost his life in this crisis,” he said.
He stressed, “Whatever it is within the powers of the government that can be done to alleviate this situation, it is going to be done.”
Commenting on this on the Key Points on TV3 Saturday, October 21, Prof Gyampo said “You may have served your time and be exiting but the president has a responsibility to leave a certain legacy that posterity will be proud of.
“I didn’t like the gestures and the demeanor of the president who visited these victims especially when he was talking to the Togbui and was pointing his left hand at him…
“In times like this when there is a disaster all people require is leadership and when you are talking about leadership you are talking about the ability to inspire confidence in people, your utterances should inspire confidence in them and make them feel that we can overcome this challenge, the way and manner he spoke, in my view was completely unpresidential and it it is becoming one too many.”
The flooding has impacted education, health, mobility, shelter, and access to food for the children in the affected communities.