Forgive ‘apologetic’ Afenyo-Markin for Keta ‘sand winning photo’ gaffe – NDC man

The Deputy Majority Leader should be forgiven for recent public gaffe

He came under fire for using a fake photo to illustrate sand winning in Keta

He subsequently offered a public apology for his mistake

Member of Parliament for Effutu and Deputy Majority Leader, Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, should be pardoned for a recent gaffe involving major causes of tidal waves that ravaged parts of the Volta Region.

The MP had at a press conference late last week used a picture showing trucks collecting sand at a beach, which photo he claimed was from Keta, one of the areas hit by the tidal waves.

MPs from the area disputed his claim and a fact-checking outfit, Ghana Fact, subsequently labelled his claims as FALSE. He subsequently issued a public apology stating that he had been misled and did not set out to spite the people of the area.

Reacting to Afenyo-Markin’s apology, an aide to former President John Dramani Mahama, Edudzi Kudzo Tameklo said once the MP had apologized publicly, it was only prudent for the people of Keta, Ketu and other areas to let go.

He made the appeal on the November 17, 2021 edition of Metro TV’s 'Good Morning Ghana' programme.

“Once a man comes apologizing for the obvious peddling of the fake picture, nothing much can be done. Except under the circumstance to accept the apology.

“Obviously you’d notice that the majority group wanted to do some mischief with the picture by more or less blaming the people in the area for the sand winning and maybe the tidal waves.

“Now that it is established beyond doubt that the picture had no relation to the activities going on in the area and with my learned senior, Afenyo-Markin coming out as it were to apologize, I have nothing more than to say the good people of Keta, Ketu South and others should accept the apology in good faith and allow sleeping dogs to lie.

“He has done what is honourable under the circumstance in using media channels to apologize to the people of Ketu South,” Edudzi added.