President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo
• President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has somewhat become ‘notorious’ for making late comments on violence or killings in the country
• At the same time, he has been quick to commiserate with other countries when things of such nature are happening there
• This list looks at some of those happenings on both sides; locally and internationally
One of the first major happenings that exposed the silence of the president on an issue of such national magnitude was perhaps when, on Friday, March 22, 2019, news broke that more than 70 passengers on board two buses that collided head-on on the Tamale-Kintampo highway had been reported dead.
The entire country was mourning and the atmosphere was tensed all across especially when it was unclear the actual figures of dead persons at the time, among other issues of the safety on our roads, particularly too for those who travel at night.
That was one of the times the country needed to hear from its leader, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo but did he quite do that?
In the most recent cases like the robbery attack on a bullion van at Adadekpon, around Jamestown in Accra, that led to the killing of a police constable, it took the president almost forever to make a statement on the matter.
Today, it is the issue on the killing of two and the injuring of some 6 persons at Ejura in the Ashanti region, after some military and police personnel moved into the town to disperse what was a peaceful protest by enraged youth of the town, following the killing of one of them.
Kaaka Ibrahim Mohammed had died after he was mobbed for what is believed to be his affiliation to the #FixTheCountry campaign.
But, the deepening worry is with how the president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, seems to always be either delayed or somehow silent when issues of such national interest are occurring.
Last year, for instance, in the heat of the #EndSARS protests in Nigeria, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, found it important, like many other leaders across the country, to tweet on the happenings, calling for calm.
I join all well-meaning persons in calling for calm, and the use of dialogue in resolving the #EndSARS impasse in Nigeria. I have spoken with President Buhari, who is committed to this end, and has begun the processes that will lead to reform. 1/2
— Nana Akufo-Addo (@NAkufoAddo) October 21, 2020
But, when floods from April 2019 killed some 7 persons, the president was again, almost mute about the deaths but as many described it, he moved with speed in tweeting about the fire that raged portions of the Notre Dame, the great Parisian Cathedral.
Like the tweet below, many users online took the president to the cleaners, over his seeming restrain when it is expected he emerges to comment on issues of national importance and concern and commiserate with people, families and the entire country for that matter.
The Ghanaian people and I are shocked by the news of the destruction of the great Parisian Cathedral, Notre Dame, one of the most iconic buildings of world civilization and extend our heartfelt condolences to President @EmmanuelMacron and to the French people on their great loss.
— Nana Akufo-Addo (@NAkufoAddo) April 15, 2019
But that is not all.
Here is a list of the moments Ghanaians have been hopeful that the president spoke sooner than he usually does, against the international happenings that he has rather surprisingly, been quick to react to.
It must however also be stated that his vice president, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, sits on the National Security Council, the Armed Forces Council, the Police Service Council, the Prisons Service Council.
These are cases from Ghana that the president either never commented on, or was late to comment on
– The Ejura killing of yesterday, June 29, 2021
– The killing of a police escort – a police constable, on board a bullion van transporting money from a bank
– The violence that accompanied the 2020 election in the Techiman South constituency, leading to the death of 2
– The floods of April 2019 that killed some 7 persons
– The collapse of a six-storey church building at Akim Batabi near Oda in the Eastern Region that killed 15 persons
– The missing Takoradi girls
The list below shows some of the international happenings that the president was swift in passing comments on
– The fire that engulfed portions of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France
– The George Floyd protests
– The death of Prince Philip