A Political Analyst, Dr Jonathan Asante Otchere, has described President Akufo-Addo’s “you don’t vote for me” comment which he made to the people of Mepe in the Volta region, who have been affected by the flood occasioned by the Akosombo Dam spillage, as unpresidential.
Dr Asante Otchere said that was not the time for the President to engage in a ‘costly joke’ of that kind.
Speaking on the Ghana Tonight Show on TV3 Monday, October 16, he said “I will start by saying that is quite unfortunate that our President will make some kind of mockery of the devastating condition that the people in the Volta region are facing. I think that it is a costly joke and such gaffes of the President or statements, to me, do not appear to be presidential.
“You have not even been around for some time and you come back, your main opponent has been there and as President of the country, what we expect you to say was to commiserate, with the people, that is not the time for a joke.”
President Akufo-Addo, while interacting with the people on Monday, 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 Volta 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.
Flood: Akufo-Addo’s ‘vote comment’ was unnecessary – Ablakwa
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.
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
“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.
“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.
“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.
Dam spillage: Akufo-Addo assures of govt’s readiness to alleviate the plight of victims
“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.”
The flooding has impacted education, health, mobility, shelter, and access to food for the children in the affected communities.