SoNA 2021: Confident Akufo-Addo knew minority was toothless – Kwesi Pratt

Managing Editor of the Insight Newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr, has averred that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is dealing with a parliamentary opposition that has no teeth.

According to him, the president exuded remarkable confidence when he delivered his first State of The Nation Address (SoNA), to Parliament yesterday.

GhanaWeb monitored submissions he made on March 10, 2021 edition of Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana show. Pratt said: “The president was very comfortable, very confident. In fact, one of the things he (president) exhibited yesterday was remarkable confidence, remarkable confidence.

"Confidence which could only have been borne out of the realization that there is an opposition which has no teeth. Look at how he spoke to parliament yesterday, so confident, in fact, more than confident, exuberant,” he added.

Pratt added that the president knew he could tame the minority at will hence his confidence when he appeared before the house.

“He knew that he was dealing with an opposition that had no teeth. He knew that he was dealing with an opposition that he could tame anytime he wanted to tame,” he stressed.

Co-panelist and New Patriotic Party MP for Nhyiaeso, Steve Amoah, whiles agreeing that the president put up a confident and stellar performance during the SoNA disagreed that the current minority caucus had no teeth.

According to him, the minority remained hardworking and committed to their legislative responsibilities. He also dismissed claims that the Haruna Iddrisu-led bloc had been unduly influenced during the recent vote on three ministerial appointees.

“How can people say the minority group was weak and they took money from us, how can people say that?” Amoah quizzed.

The minority led by Iddrisu has criticized the address as lacking in key areas such as Ghana's debt stock, the LGBTQ+ issue, and post-election violence incidents.