Debrah, NDC want to kill Kalyppo - Akufo-Addo

The government of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has not only failed to support local companies to grow but is now actually killing them, flag bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Akufo-Addo has said, in reference to Chief of Staff Julius Debrah’s warning to adults to stay off locally-made Kalyppo fruit juice because it could cause Kalyppolitis.

Speaking to party supporters in the Ashanti Region as part of his four-day tour, Mr Akufo-Addo said Mr Debrah’s comment proves the NDC does not have the interest of local companies at heart. “You don’t support local companies and now you want to kill them as well?” he asked.

According to him, “if sugar were so unhealthy to adults”, as Mr Debrah claims, “then why has the Mahama administration opened the Komenda Sugar Factory?” Meanwhile, pro-NPP group Truth Forum has also condemned as “reckless” and “irresponsible” Mr Debrah’s comment.

Mr Debrah’s comment was a subtle swipe at the #Kalyselfie social media blitz that started after some members of the NDC posted a picture of opposition leader Nana Akufo-Addo sipping a pack of the fruit juice in an attempt to mock him.

Speaking to supporters of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Brong Ahafo Region, Mr Debrah said the drink’s sugar content was detrimental to the health of adults.

“The adults here, I am pleading with you to avoid taking Kalyppo because the sugar content is harmful to your health,” he told the supporters in the Twi language.

However, a statement signed by Mr Anthony Abayifaa Karbo said Mr Debrah’s comment amounts to an attempt to kill the efforts of the manufacturers of the drink. “It is rather unfortunate that after eight years of making a complete mess of the Ghanaian economy, the John Mahama-led NDC government has decided to not only negatively tag our local industry, but take us back to the dark days in our history,” he noted.

The group is, therefore, demanding an apology to Ghanaians as well as the manufacturers of the drink.

However, Deputy Minister of Communication, Mr Edward Ato Sarpong, has said the Chief of Staff’s remark has been misinterpreted by the Ghanaian media and the public.

He told Kwadwo Asare-Baffour Acheampong, host of Ekosii Sen on Asempa FM, on Thursday, October 20, that Mr Debrah made the comment based on doctor’s advice that adults should reduce or completely avoid consuming sugar.

“Even doctors have recommended that adults should quit sugar intake and so that was the point the Chief of Staff was making. He only advised that as adults, we should take our doctors’ advice by reducing sugar intake.”

He emphasised: “He (Debrah) was just advising the gathering and someone has twisted the story in a way that we ourselves don’t even understand.”