Rejoinder: Mahama Sneak Into The UK Unannounced

Dear Editor,

We of the NDC US are shocked to have read an offensive and abusive story attributed to the NDC Youth for better Ghana, UK claiming that our dear President Mahama is arrogant(which is diametrically opposed to his character) because he could not attend their event.

The President climaxed his loaded activities with a close-door meeting with us, the NDC US, prior to his departure at 11pm last Friday. This had nearly affected his scheduled departing time, because it took him and his entourage who left the meeting after 8:00 pm, over an hour drive to get back to their hotel before they left for the airport.

However, as they themselves indicated in their story, the President arrived in London in the afternoon on Saturday and naturally, whoever takes a mid-night flight needs to take some rest and respite upon arrival, because one does not get comfortable sleep in flight.

Although the President might have promised or proposed to attend their function, but they should have known better that, the unforeseen circumstance of fatigue and exhaustion as a result of a hectic and heavy schedule he had in New York when he lead a week long trip to attend the UN General Assembly event, apart from which he had to have a series of bilateral, diplomatic and investment talks with several groups, might have had an impact on his health.

As you know the adage from the wise men says, man proposes but God disposes, and God wields control over our body, and he (President), I believe was willing to attend but the body was weak. But after all which politician would intentionally evade a meeting with his country men and women, in this highly crucial electioneering season, where he might have won the heart of some undecided voters back home through their family members abroad?

Usually the Presidents would meet Ghanaians in the Diaspora whenever he travels, even since he was Vice-President. It was possible that our kith and kin in the UK were not prepared to leave their options (possibility of meeting him on Sunday or even Monday) opened, hence they were trying to push him to the wall, in spite of a justifiable excuse given on health grounds.

But for our colleagues on the other side of the Atlantic to go ranting and raving across the internet and the media, insulting and casting insinuation at the President as arrogant, amounts to stretching the situation beyond their limit and blowing it out of proportion. Even numerous members of the opposition parties in Ghana and abroad admire the high sense of humility and meekness of our President.

If they are true members of the NDC in the Diaspora and not members of the opposition or splinter baby NDP, while disguising themselves as true NDC members, they should then have to render an apology for their strong worded accusation toward the Presidents, who was in a fatigue mood due to his busy schedule for the interest of the nation.

Written by: Husseini Y Baba AlWaiz,

Press Secretary, NDC US & NY Chapter