Adakabre Frimpong Manso’s 2020 defence for being Akua Donkor’s running mate

Ahead of the 2023 general elections, lawyer and media personality, Adakabre Frimpong Manso, accepted an invitation to become the running mate for the founder and leader of the Ghana Freedom Party (GFP), Akua Donkor.

With many surprised at such a move, the media personality has explained that his decision was because of Akua Donkor’s innovative socialist ideas for the country.

According to him, the Ghana Freedom Party (GFP) flagbearer’s comparatively lower academic qualification is inconsequential because she has a lot of “home sense,” which has influenced government policies since 2012.

Speaking via Accra-based Citi FM, Adakabre stated the much talked about flagship programme of the incumbent New Patriotic Party (NPP) - the Free SHS policy, and an increase in cocoa prices by 21%, were proposed by Akua Donkor to Ghanaians, but she was tagged a comedian by a section of the public.

"I have known Akua Donkor since 2012 and I have come to have greater belief in her and what she stands for, but unfortunately, people seem to think she is like a comedian. "But [...], Akua Donkor makes a lot of sense when you evaluate what she stands for.

"In 2012, Akua Donkor talked about giving free education to Ghanaians and as it is now, the president of the republic has given Ghanaians free education. So, Akua Donkor could tell from 2012.

"At the launch of her manifesto she [Akua Donkor] talked about giving GH¢10,000 per tonne as the price of cocoa, less than 10 days later the current government led by Nana Akufo-Addo gave out GH¢10,000 per tonne of cocoa. So, you can tell that you can think of Akua Donkor as a comedian but she has a lot of home sense. She may not be highly educated but she has a grasp of what the ordinary Ghanaian requires," he explained.

Adakabre Frimpong Manso has been in the news in the last 24 hours after he called out the Minister of Energy, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, on his Meman Nti show on Monday, March 20, 2023.

According to him, NAPO, as the minister is affectionately known, supposedly run away and left Dr Mahamudu Bawumia to his fate when the vice president led a delegation to visit the Kejetia Market in Kumasi.

In some videos shared on social media, some of the Kejetia market women were seen heckling the vice president’s entourage when they visited the market over a fire incident recorded last week.

Prior to visiting Kejetia, the vice president on Sunday led a number of New Patriotic Party MP’s and government officials to visit the Manhyia Palace for the second Akwasidae Festival of the year.

“Just go and look at the design of the Kente they gave the vice president to wear. When we say improper dressing, what could have caused the vice president to have his cloth all over the place when Daasebre Osei Bonsu embraced the vice president and his wife. Even when you are wearing a suit it is problematic if you don’t wear it well… Even you, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh who is a royal was equally guilty. Your Kente was all over the place,” he noted.

Adakabre emphasised that his criticism of the minister was largely due to his failure in discharging his duties and the shortcomings of the Minister of Energy under his watch.

“The reason why I am critical of Kwaku NAPO is that the electricity sector is very critical. Then you go and abandon the vice president when you started receiving pressure from Kejetia… At the thick of affairs, you are supposed to stand by him at Kejetia. Pay attention to the Electricity Company of Ghana, there are a plethora of issues there,” he stated.

AE/WA