Nana Akomea addresses the press
The governing New Patriotic Party has reiterated its call on Ghanaians to reject John Dramani Mahama at the December 7 polls over his lack of vision and inconsistent leadership.
Addressing a press conference yesterday, a member of the NPP’s 2020 campaign communications team, Nana Akomea, said while President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has demonstrated a stable, firm, steadfast, principled and consistent leadership, by keeping his promises, Mr Mahama presents leadership of convenience, expediency, obey the wind and lack of principle.
“President Mahama does not present as a leader of firm principles. He is not a leader whose word is his bound. He shifts positions depending on which direction the wind blows. He presents as a leader who the Ga people will call ‘Rophopho’, or obey the wind leader,” Nana Akomea stated.
He said Mr Mahama has been inconsistent since he lost the 2016 elections and out of desperation is resorting to cunning means, such as doctored videos to smear President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
“The saying is that it’s only a fool who doesn’t change his mind. But when the mind changing is so frequent as to become a habit, then that’s a troubling sign in a leader,” Nana Akomea said.
Inconsistencies
Outlining some actions of the former President to buttress his point, Nana Akomea said Mr Mahama in 2015 stopped the government’s payments of university students’ utility bills, which was restored by President Akufo-Addo only for him (Mahama) to turn round and say he believes in that policy.
He further spoke about Mr Mahama’s changing stands on policies such as teachers and nurses trainees’ allowances, Free SHS, among others.
“President Mahama has told us in this 2020 campaign that he will correct his mistakes if elected President again. But he has not told Ghanaians what those mistakes are/were, and how he is going to correct them. So how should the voter take him seriously? A bold leader will tell/admit his mistakes, and show how he will correct them if given another chance.
“President Mahama told us in 2016 that we should beware of the promises of politicians who are outside government as those politicians, being outside government, do not know the real situation on the ground, and tend to make unrealistic promises. Now he is a politician out of government making all kinds of promises, how should we take his promises now?” he queried.
He continued “President Mahama told us in 2016 that four years were not enough for any President. So why is he asking Ghanaians to reject President Akufo Addo after four years. Is this consistency??
“President Mahama has this year told us the Ghanaian people that if elected, he will pay bank depositors’ funds in one year. But we remember that when he was President, his government’s response to the financial crisis was to pay billions to the bank owners and bosses, who had caused the crisis in the first place.”
Freebies
Nana Akomea also recalled how President Mahama in 2016 accused the NPP of going on ‘free promising spree’.
“He said to Ghanaians that if care was not taken, Nana Akufo-Addo and the NPP will be promising free air, forgetting that God had already provided free air.
“He and his party ran adverts, going as far as using out of context voices such as of Hon. J. H. Mensah and Pastor Otabil, all in a bid to demonstrate to Ghanaians that anything free was not good. Today, President Mahama is on a binge of free promises, free Primary Health Care, (whatever that means), free half fees for University Students etc. Another clear instance of a leader who turns where the wind blows,” he added.
Free SHS
“Perhaps, nowhere is President Mahama’s lack of candor, lack of firmness of mind, and leadership of expediency demonstrated more starkly than in his attitude towards the policy of Free SHS.
“The majority of the Ghanaian electorate are living witnesses to the vehement campaign President Mahama, aided by his government and party, waged against free SHS in 2012.
“Shockingly and unbelievably, President Mahama today in 2020 is telling the Ghanaian people that he introduced free SHS in 2015. It is clear that apart from his shocking display of politics and leadership of expediency, President Mahama has also shown he is a leader without scruples or shame,” he said.
Demonstrable leadership
On the contrary, Nana Akomea has stated that President Akufo-Addo has provided a stable and firm leadership to the Ghanaian people and remained focused on delivering his promises.
“Free SHS, creation of new Regions, One District One Factory, One Village One Dam had all been long standing national aspirations. They had remained aspirations, turned into great promises by Candidate Akufo Addo. Upon his election, he had brought a determined and focused leadership to lead the nation to achieve these aspirations, with great degrees of success. Not surprising President Akufo-Addo has been given the title ‘Promise Keeper’ by one of our prominent chiefs,” he said.
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