Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has chided President Akufo-Addo for statements supposedly directed at foreign diplomats present during the State of the Nation Address.

According to him, President Akufo-Addo’s unhinged attack of the diplomatic corps during his message on the state of the nation is most “repugnant, illogical and intolerant”. He revealed that the President cannot accuse diplomats of joining the national discourse when he was the very person who invited them by “begging for debt cancellation after grossly mismanaging” the Ghanaian economy.

“I hope President Akufo-Addo’s impervious posture does not derail already difficult bilateral negotiations on Ghana’s external debt restructuring. President Akufo-Addo must definitely win the prize for the world’s most arrogant beggar.”
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa

Mr Ablakwa highlighted that President Akufo-Addo is basically telling the foreign envoys he desperately needs their money and benevolence but not their advice on how to reduce the size of his government and “cut down on my extravagant expenditures as the German Ambassador counseled recently”.

The President in his speech touted the complete freedom of expression, freedom of association, freedom of assembly, freedom of religion and political affiliation that is being experienced in the country. He noted that indeed, freedom of speech has now reached such heights that even members of the diplomatic corps feel able to join in the country’s national discourse and pronounce on matters that would be problematic for Ghanaian diplomats in their countries of origin.

Reacting to this, Mr Ablakwa stated that the President should know better and not make such unfortunate comment.

“We all know that the President is referring to the recent comment by the German Ambassador. You can’t accuse the Ambassador of meddling in our internal affairs when you went to him… You are asking them to beg the Chinese, beg the Paris Club for debt forgiveness and they are saying that you also have to show some good faith, meet us halfway. Charity must begin at home, reduce the size of your government and then you come here and taking a swipe at them.”
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa

The North Tongu legislator emphasized that the position of the President is “appalling” and “unacceptable”. He revealed that this only proves that the President still refuses to learn.

“Apart from the German Ambassador, who hasn’t said there’s the need to cut down on size of government? Civil society organizations, the clergy, Christian Council, the Minority Caucus, who hasn’t? So, the President should stop the intimidation, intolerance and rather listen to good counsel. I would have been upset with the Germans if we hadn’t asked them for assistance, we haven’t gone to beg them and then they are meddling in our internal affairs. That is when you can call meddling, but it is not meddling when you have asked for assistance.”
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa

Road projects undertaken by President Akufo-Addo

Meanwhile, Mr Ablakwa has expressed his reservation about the President’s address on road projects undertaken in the country. He explained that he has been poring over President Akufo-Addo’s rather “novel attachment” to his state of the nation address and the document is essentially his own version of former President Mahama’s famous Green Book except that his focuses on the roads sector.

“By preliminary observation, it’s intriguing what’s happening in Abuakwa South. What would Ghanaians have said if Prez Mahama had done same in Bole Bamboi at the expense of other constituencies? Then there are many false narratives which I shall reserve for the parliamentary debate. It seems to me Akufo-Addo’s attachment will be his Achilles heel.”
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa

It will be recalled that President Akufo-Addo in his address stated that his government has constructed more roads than any government in the history of Ghana. He revealed that his government has spent monies borrowed by the state to build both inner-city and inter-city roads across the country, a move he says will continue to bring relief to the people of Ghana in terms of transportation.

President Akufo-Addo highlighted that his government has built roads more than any government in the fourth Republic.