Akufo-Addo never proposed erection of two statues beside Nkrumah’s at AU Headquarters – Arhin

The Director of Communications at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin has rubbished reports by former Chair of the AU Advisory Board on Corruption, Daniel Batidam that President Akufo-Addo proposed the erection of two other statues of African Leaders to stand with Kwame Nkrumah’s at the AU Headquarters in Ethiopia.

Mr Batidam is quoted as saying “It took a Ghanaian leader [Akufo-Addo] to propose the erection of two other statues of two African leaders to stand with the statue of Nkrumah at the AU Headquarters. According to President Akufo Addo, other leaders supported the OAU (AU) initiative hence his proposal.

“Other African leaders present rejected our president’s proposal and the media in Ethiopia took him to the cleaners for making that proposal. The Ethiopians rejected the proposal to erect the statue of their leader to stand with Osagyefo’s on the grounds that Nkrumah remains the greatest black African and the father of modern Africa.”

But Mr Arhin in swift response denied such claims urging Mr Batidam to confirm the statement or deny it so as to preserve his own reputation, adding that he hoped elements of the NDC would have learnt to stop peddling lies after their heavy defeat in the 2016 elections.

Eugene Arhin writes, "I have just seen a statement, which has been attributed to Daniel Batidam, on the wall of Edudzi Kudzi Tameklo, a lawyer and a member of the NDC. Mr. Batidam is quoted to have said that “it took a Ghanaian leader (Akufo-Addo) to propose the erection of other statues to stand with the statue of Nkrumah at the AU Headquarters".

“I hope Mr. Batidam, the man who is alleged to have made this statement, would either come out to confirm that, indeed, the statement is his, or deny it categorically so as to preserve his own reputation.

“For the avoidance of doubt, President Akufo-Addo has NEVER made any such proposal at any AU meeting. One would have hoped that after losing the 2016 election heavily, some elements of the NDC will abandon their modus operandi of peddling lies and untruths. I guess the saying, “a leopard cannot change its spots”, is true after all.”