Dr. Arko Akoto-Ampaw, Medical Director of the Eastern Regional Hospital
• Dr. Arko Akoto-Ampaw is Medical Director of the Eastern Regional Hospital
• He reiterates that former president Mahama’s do or die comment is only an idiomatic expression
• Hence, he urges critics to let the issue die
Dr. Arko Akoto-Ampaw, Medical Director of the Eastern Regional Hospital just like a section of Ghanaian politicians, has reiterated that the clarification given by former President Mahama for his ‘do or die’ comment is sufficient to put the controversies surrounding it to rest.
Dr. Akoto-Ampaw made this assertion on Accra-based JoyNews as he believes the explanation given by Mr. Mahama is very clear.
“The clarity of somebody wanting to say something is in his head. I mean, I cannot explain what someone wants to say better than what he intended to say.
“He was very clear that this do-or-die comment was an idiomatic expression. And for me, it’s clear in my mind and I understand what an idiomatic expression is. I understand what he meant by ‘do or die,” he said on JoyNews.
John Dramani Mahama on September 7 during his ‘Thank You’ tour, stated his scepticism about the results of the 2020 general elections that the NDC was clearly robbed but didn’t struggle for the sake of peace.
“We were clearly robbed, but we accepted the verdict for the sake of peace,” said Mahama.
“But I want to state here that the next elections would be won or lost at the polling station. So, at the polling station, it will be ‘do or die’. I am not saying ‘all die be die’. I’m saying it will be ‘do or die’ because the right thing must be done,” he told Techiman-based Akina FM.
However, the comment made by the former President was received with lots of criticisms from a cross-section of the Ghanaian public and especially NPP politicians who called for a retraction of the statement.
Dr. Arko Akoto-Ampaw speaking on ‘Newsfile’ urged critics to give Mahama a break following the clarity in his explanation.
“Why would elite politicians not understand that? It is because it has to do with the seeking of political capital for the purpose which they desire. And in doing that the opposition party (NPP) will try to seek that capital because all the time that is what happens in the country.”