A Political Science lecturer at the University of Ghana, Professor Ransford Gyampo has condemned the act of deviant behavior among some Ghanaians disrespecting the seat of the presidency.
According to the political scientist, the presidency must be respected irrespective of its occupants.
His call comes after the attendees of the Global Citizens Festival hooted at President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at the event held at the Black Star Square on Saturday, 24 September 2022. While addressing the crowd, some sessions clapped and chanted amidst ‘away’.
Reacting to the incident in a Facebook post, Mr. Gyampo, said the fact that the country is not governed in a manner many Ghanaians want does not warrant a gross disrespect to the high office.
He emphasised that baring any differences the Ghanaian culture of respecting the elderly should be maintained.
“We do not like how the country is being governed but we cannot suddenly also throw our culture of courtesy, respect, and civility to the dogs. The position of the presidency must be respected by all, regardless of its occupant,” Professor Ransford Gyampo schooled the public.
Professor Gyampo furthered this by blaming the handlers of the President for their refusal to pick some intelligence at the gathering to know the mood of the audience before proceeding to address them.
In that view, he believes the handlers of President Akufo-Addo caused what he described as a “monumental embarrassment” to the statesman.
He stressed, “Unfortunately, the President cannot even reshuffle, let alone sacking anyone.”
In a related development, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has accused the National Democratic Congress (NDC) of organising people to make a mockery of the President at the 2022 Global Citizen Festival.
Deputy Director of Communications for the NPP, Ernest Kofi Owusu Bempah Bonsu believes that the opposition NDC was behind what he termed a “disgusting enterprise”.
In a statement, he said, “but then, to allow politics to take centre stage at such an event and single out the President unfairly for political point scoring raises serious concerns.”
“It is pure evil and utter disgrace for the NDC to organize its supporters to go and shout down the President the manner it happened,” the statement contains.
Meanwhile, the NDC is yet to officially respond to the allegations by the ruling government.
