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“Mahama’s refererence to officials as ‘Akyem sakawa people’ unacceptable” – Akufo-Addo

President Akufo-Addo berates John Mahama’s forays into dog-whistle politics and urges Catholic bishops to speak up against ethnic hate speech.

President Akufo-Addo has called out comments by the former president John Mahama, that some government officials who hail from the president’s home town, Kyebi, are “Akyem Sakawa people”, as unacceptable. He also argued that the remarks ought to be condemned, particularly by Catholic bishops.

The president registered his displeasure as he addressed members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference at Jubilee House in Accra when they paid a courtesy call on him.

“Archbishop, this name-calling and insulting seems to be a feature of Ghanaian public life … But sometimes, one would hope that, when things come out, people would comment on them. The comment made by my opponent – ‘Akyem sakawa people’ – I’ve not heard any independent public figure in this country, yourselves or anybody, comment on it.

“It’s completely unacceptable. If I were to get up to make comments about Northerners or Gonjas, you can imagine the uproar there would be in the country. Presidential candidate, a former president of Ghana – you can call a group of Ghanaians ‘sakawa people’? And it involves the group from which the sitting president comes? And that statement goes without comment? And at the same time we hear all these statements, ‘Let’s all try and bring the politics of insults to an end.’

“Occasions are given where specific comments can be made. Nothing happens and it’s lost in the generalities. We need to focus on this matter in an even-handed way,” President Akufo-Addo said.

[Click on this link to hear President Akufo-Addo speak about ethnic hate speech.]

 

“I am very disturbed by the comments the former President Mahama made about Akyem people as ‘sakawa people’. Up till today, I have not heard any senior citizen of this country, lay, religious, civil society organisations (CSOs), public think tanks, reprimand him for that statement.

“What can be the basis of such a remark? This is a public act that you have a problem with – fair enough. But then, the people that are doing it are given this ethic branding.

“It cannot be right. This is the kind of language that we do not want in our politics,” the president said, making clear his disdain for the comments by the NDC flagbearer.

Ethnic branding

In a speech delivered before President Akufo-Addo made his remarks, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Tamale and president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Most Reverend Philip Naameh, requested that the president grant the Catholic University College of Ghana, based in Fiapre, in the Bono Region, a presidential charter. This would make the university an independent, degree-awarding institution.

Touching on the politics of insults, the senior Catholic clergyman asked the president to ensure that all those who will speak for him during the election campaign do so with decorum.

“We encourage you, Mr President, to ensure that those who speak and campaign for you do so respecting your own values and etiquettes,” Most Reverend Naameh said.

[Click on this link to hear Most Reverend Naameh speak about political rhetoric and decorum.]

 

While welcoming the call by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference, President Akufo-Addo argued that the time has come for bishops and all other senior citizens to condemn public and political figures in Ghana when they make distasteful comments which promote ethnic bias and divisions.

“When things happen, we deal with them on their merit,” President Akufo-Addo said. “We don’t worry ourselves whether he is in government or opposition: if what they have said is unacceptable, it should be pointed out to them.

“It goes for me. If the president opens his mouth [and] says something that is unacceptable, he should be reprimanded.”

Wilberforce Asare

Asaase Radio 99.5 – tune in or log on to broadcasts online.
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