Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) John Dramani Mahama, has criticised President Nana Akufo-Addo over his comments on the lack of development in Ekumfi, because the people there did not vote for his party.
At a meeting with local leaders, the President revealed that he intentionally ignored the demands of Ekumfi residents due to their decision to vote out NPP candidate Francis Kingsley Ato Codjoe in the 2020 elections.
Nana Akufo-Addo, openly expressed his disappointment, admitting that the electoral defeat led to a decrease in his involvement with the constituency.
“Ato Codjoe who was the MP for the area. I made him a deputy minister so that through that he would initiate development projects in the area but it didn’t last. During the subsequent election, he was voted out and these all accounted for my neglect for the area,” he said.
Francis Kingsley Ato Cudjoe, lost the 2020 election with 13,468 votes making 45.0percent of the total votes cast, whilst Abeiku Crentsil of the NDC had 16,037 votes making 53.6percent of the total votes cast.
The parliamentary candidate of GUM, Regina Amoah had 371 votes making 1.2percent of the total votes cast and the CPP parliamentary candidate Ibrahim Anderson had 0 vote, making 0.0percent of the total vote cast.
He was a former Deputy Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development.
In response, Mr Mahama, expressed his disapproval of the President’s comments, labeling them as unfortunate.
He took to social media platform X, emphasizing that President Akufo-Addo’s actions were inconsistent with the principles outlined in Article 36 of Chapter Six of the constitution, which mandates governments to ensure the even distribution of national resources
“The President’s comment that he ignored the development of Ekumfi because they voted out his parliamentarian is most unfortunate. President Akufo-Addo has a penchant for making such partisan statements, as we witnessed recently during his visit to flood victims in Mepe. His actions contradict the oath he swore as President to do justice to all manner of persons.”
“Let me also remind him of chapter six of our constitution, specifically Article 36 clause 2(d), which stipulates the need for governments to undertake “… even and balanced development of all regions and every part of each region of Ghana, and, in particular, improving the conditions of life in the rural areas, and generally, redressing any imbalance in development between the rural and the urban areas,” he stated.
