President Akufo-Addo merely spoke ‘big grammar’ and ‘threw shades’ in his ‘empty’ address that sought to put the minds of Ghanaians at ease as far as the controversial Ghana-US military deal is concerned, Investigative Journalist, Manasseh Azure Awuni has said.
The President finally broke the ‘long-held silence’ on the ongoing debate on the defense deal with an address to the nation Thursday evening in which he touched on critical areas of concern that have been raised by the citizenry in relation to the subject.
In his speech, President Akufo-Addo clarified that Ghana has “not offered a military base, and will not offer a military base to the United States of America.” According to him, no such request would even have been considered by government if any had been made by the US government. He was rather confident that the agreement “will help enhance our defence capability, and offer an important layer of support in our common effort to protect the peace in our region.”
He among other things also massively criticized the NDC’s reaction to the decision since its announcement.
“Let me say how outraged I am by the defamatory comments from my political opponents, some of whose patriotism can be so easily questioned, that the sovereignty of this country has been sold by my government and myself. I will never be the President that will compromise or sell the sovereignty of our country. I respect deeply the memory of the great patriots whose sacrifice and toil brought about our independence and freedom.
I have stood with you, the Ghanaian people, all my adult life, fighting for our individual and collective rights. Everything I have done, since assuming the great honour and privilege of serving you as President of the Republic, demonstrates that I remain focused on building a self-reliant, free, prosperous Ghana, which will be able to make her own unique contribution to the growth and development of Africa and the world”, he affirmed.
Touching on the issue however on his facebook wall, Manasseh Azure described the President’s speech as one that lacked substance. He is of the view that the address was among other things an attempt to ‘get back’ at the NDC for their vehement opposition of the agreement and their constant show of disapproval for the same.
“Brofo ne akutia nkoa. Aba biara nnim!”, his post on facebook read few minutes after the President’s address.
To clarify his posturing, he in a similar post translated his words in English ‘Quote me well, I said the speech was empty and lacked substance’.
Many have already criticized the ace journalist’s comments on the President’s address, a number of them indicating that his opinion is overrated and a clear demonstration of unprofessionalism.
Meanwhile, Mr. Azure isn’t the only one castigating the President over his ‘interventionary’ speech. Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Okudzeto Ablakwa in a tweet described the President’s speech as insulting.
“A terrible sad night indeed. This is not how a president talks down to his own people. The intolerant, condescending and insulting response to genuine concerns of Ghanaians from all section of society is very regrettable,” he tweeted.
Ace Investigative Journalist, Manasseh Azure Awuni