Deputy Communications Director of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Anthony Karbo, has said his party will not apologize to President John Mahama over claims that their presidential nominee, Nana Akufo-Addo, described him [Mahama] as incompetent.
“The description of government’s records in office is either competent or incompetent, there is no middle ground,” he added.
The governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), demanded an apology from Nana Akufo-Addo, who made the said comment against Mahama on one of his campaign tours.
But Anthony Karbo while speaking on Eyewitness News argued that, Mahama has no reason to fail because of the abundant resources and revenues at his disposal.
“We [NPP] managed this country’s economy very competently. Indeed we handed over an economy to this government by the close of 2008. So when we describe this government as incompetent it is to the fact because we are speaking to what the data is talking about. Especially when they have had so much of oil revenue and still the country’s economy is lagging back.”
“What they are saying is that, international prices of commodities have accounted for the slowdown of the Ghanaian economy, however, other countries like Ivory Coast, Kenya have all been under this global economic crisis but the quantum of loans, resources from cocoa, gold that has come to this government, Ghana should have been on the pedestal by now. So when we describe the government as incompetent, it is to the fact,” Karbo insisted.
Stop the insults first
The NDC Campaign Spokesperson for the December 7 general elections, Joyce Bawa Mogtari, has charged the NPP to first stop the insults if they want a clean campaign.
President Mahama and Nana Addo, both on campaign trails have taken each other on in the last few days.
President Mahama while touring the Western and Northern Regions attacked Nana Akufo-Addo’s personality and his leadership style, describing him as a dictator and divisive.
Speaking to Citi News, Joyce Bawa said “When you look at the accusation from the opposition, what I want to ask is who was the first to describe president Mahama as incompetent, a man who has credited himself as an assembly man, an MP, a Deputy Minister, Minister, Vice President and now President of Ghana.”
“No matter the circumstances, no matter the level of context I think that a flagbearer of any political party must at least show some respect and decorum in their speech and the way you describe your opponent so yes am saying President Mahama is in campaign mood and has decided to meet the opposition boot for boot,” she added.
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By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin