Your attempt to whip up ethnic sentiment will fail – Mahama to Akufo-Addo

Former President John Mahama has rejected accusations that he has tagged people from the Akyem ethnic group as ‘Sakawa boys.’

It comes after President Akufo-Addo complained to Catholic Bishops at a meeting at the Jubilee House after Mr Mahama shared an article by lawmaker Isaac Adongo which used the labelling for some individuals in government.

“Archbishop, this name-calling seems to be a feature of Ghanaian public life. But sometimes, when things come out, we would hope that you will comment on them. The comment made by my opponent, “Akyem Sakawa people,” I have not heard any public figure, independent person, yourselves, comment on it. It is completely unacceptable. If I were to get up to make comments about Northerners or Gonjas, you can imagine the uproar that would be in the country".

“Presidential candidate, a former President of Ghana, you can call a group of Ghanaians “sakawa people”, and it involves the group for which the sitting President comes, and that statement goes without comment, and at the same time we hear all these statements, let all try and bring the politics of insults to an end,” the President bemoaned.

However reacting to comment, the NDC flagbearer said he will be the last person to attack any ethnic group.

“I can understand President Akufo-Addo’s frustration, desperation and deliberate attempts to whip up ethnic sentiments, but that will not wash. I will be the last person to attack any ethnic group in this country. I shared a post of Hon Adongo who described certain people in Akufo-Addo’s government as “Akyem Sakawa Boys”.

“My national chairman is an Akyem. The head of our manifesto committee is an Akyem, so how can I make such a general comment. I think Akufo-Addo is just displaying his frustration,” he told TV XYZ Saturday.