Presidential staffer, NPP activists using fake UTV artwork to attack Mahama

President John Dramani Mahama is being wrongly accused of making anti-Ashanti comments on the campaign trail as he traverses the country seeking to lead the National Democratic Congress as flagbearer in the 2024 polls.

Some known New Patriotic Party (NPP) activists including a presidential staffer, Nana Hesse Ogyiri, are sharing a purported quote from the former president in which he reportedly speaks against the Ashanti Region.

"Don't be like Ashanti Region. They are emotionally attached to the NPP that they don't even think before voting for them. Your party and your son has led Ghana into a ditch, be bold to vote against them. Be different. Come back to the NDC in 2024 and we wont neglect you this time," the comment reads.

It is posted on an artwork of Accra-based UTV.

A search on UTV's social media feeds show a similar artwork posted on April 11, 2023 except that the accompanying text has nothing to do with the Ashanti Region or the NPP.

The original quote reads: "By God’s grace we have the experience, we didn’t buy it in the store, we didn’t learn it in school, it is God who gave us the opportunity to gather that experience. Don’t worry about what some people are saying, it is God’s will, I attend church and when I pray God speaks to me and God has said this is the time for NDC, he has given us power. If God decides no one can change it.”

Mahama completed his regional tour of the Eastern Region on Thursday and is expected to start the Greater Accra Regional tour almost immediately.

His aide, Joyce Bawah-Mogtari has also dismissed the purported quote via a tweet that read: "Wait a minute: Treat with utmost contempt,fake news headlines being churned out by a desperately unscrupulous government that has absolutely nothing to show for itself than to hide behind faceless lies and propaganda against notable political opponents!"

Find the original and fake artworks below:

Former President John Mahama has expressed optimism that the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) will win the 2024 elections.#UTVNews pic.twitter.com/eqqryJgI8V

— UTV Ghana (@utvghana) April 11, 2023