Mahama fears criticism – NPP

Recent comments by President John Dramani Mahama that the flag bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) slept while on a tour of the Western Region shows that the president fears criticism, John Boadu, acting General Secretary of the NPP, has said.

On Tuesday August 16, while touring some parts of the Western Region, Mr Mahama said: “During my campaign in 2012, I realised that most of the roads here are very bad. I made the promise to invest heavily in roads here if I am elected president. I have kept my promise. Under the cocoa roads programme, most of the projects are in the Western Region. The majority of roads in this region are many, I cannot name them. I heard someone (Nana Akufo Addo) came here and said he had not seen these roads. I am sure he was sleeping at the time.”

Reacting to these comments in an interview with Paa Kwesi Parker-Wilson, host of Political Capital on Accra100.5FM on Wednesday August 17, Mr Boadu said the comments of the president betrayed his unwillingness to accept criticism.

“The chiefs in the region complained about the poor road network and asked that they should be worked on because most indigenes are cocoa farmers who farm on a large scale; this is what the chiefs told them. And, so, the president says Nana Addo was sleeping, therefore, he did not see the road. Then perhaps the chiefs were also sleeping,” he told host Parker-Wilson.

“I strongly believe that President John Mahama doesn’t like criticism but that does not give him the leeway to be making comments of this kind.”

Mr Boadu noted that the NDC and Mr Mahama had gained notoriety for bastardising the three-time flag bearer at the least opportunity. “You [Government] have collected taxes and loans and instead of accounting to the people on how you have used these loans and taxes, you make Nana Addo and the NPP the subject of your campaign launch,” he said.