Akosombo Dam spillage: NDC only interested in optics and politics than solutions – National Communications Director, NPP
The National Communications Director of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Richard Ahiagbah, has taken a swipe at the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) over its posture regarding support for victims of the spillage from the Akosombo and Kpong Dams.
President Nana Akufo-Addo on Monday, October 16, stirred controversy when he subtly reminded some victims of the Akosombo Dam spillage at Mepe in the Volta Region about the fact that he had visited to sympathise with them regardless of the fact that the residents there did not vote for his party.
His comment was criticised by a section of the public but speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosisen on Tuesday, Mr Ahiagbah said the NDC was clearly playing politics with the situation as it had always sought to do each time the government had to intervene in any situation in the Volta Region.
He explained that the President’s comment was in response to some propaganda that had gone on before his arrival in the region, hence his decision to clarify why he was there, only for his comment to be misinterpreted for political gains.
“I think the language being used isn’t appropriate. I think we need to put the issues in perspective. The NDC for a very long time, at least in this 4th Republic, issues about the Volta Region are always politicised. Even if someone wins an award in the Volta Region and the NPP presents that award, they will politicise it. If someone from the Volta Region doesn’t also get the award, they will say it’s because of politics. So as long as it’s something about the Volta Region under this 4th Republic, the NDC will politicise it, and that’s the most unfortunate thing,” he said.
According to Mr Ahiagbah, he saw no reason to politicise a disaster when people were urgently in need of help and the government together with other relevant agencies were already responding to that call.
He said there was no need for the President to visit the disaster areas in the first place, since the government structures and systems were already working to address the issue at hand.
“I don’t even understand why this issue has been politicised. In disasters of this nature, when the President goes there, he usually gets in the way; and governance too is structured, and so if the President hasn’t been there it doesn’t mean the structure is not working, and it doesn’t mean the government is not working, but the NDC will politicised it,” he said.
In his view, the President being there at the time when relief efforts were being coordinated among other things was in itself a distraction.
NDC MP for Buem, Kofi Adams, who was a guest on the show said Mr Ahiagbah was only seeking to defend the indefensible to make his party look good. —myjoyonline.com
