• President Akufo-Addo has apologised for saying that the NPP never promised to build a harbour in Cape Coast
• He has stated however that it is impossible to build a harbor in Cape Coast when Takoradi and Elmina have harbors
• He has in the past apologized over some incidents
A common criticism of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is his perceived failure to admit wrongdoing when either he or a member of his government faults.
His critics have named him a ‘clearing agent’ to further their position that he is a person who does not accept responsibility for the mistakes of his government. A clearing agent being someone who exonerates his appointees accused of corruption.
In his five-year tenure as president of the country, Nana Akufo-Addo has made a number of public apologies and GhanaWeb brings you three of such instances.
Apology for Cape Coast harbour gaffe
The most recent one which set the tone for this story is his concession that he goofed with his claim that the NPP never promised to build a harbour in Cape Coast.
In an interview on Peace FM, the President apologized to residents of Cape Coast for the misunderstanding but also pleaded that a harbour cannot be built in Cape Coast.
“Let me confess, I made a mistake on the Cape Coast statement. I try to look at the manifesto before I go [to every region]. I saw one page talk about landing sites and I didn’t go further.
“Presidents are human after all, we are not supermen. We make mistakes,” he said on Thursday, October 21.
“But in any event, even with the mistake, I still think we have to rethink a lot of things. We have harbour in Elimina which is being developed, obviously Takoradi and another projected for Cape Coast. I think some rethinking has to go on for us to be able to find what is the value for money arrangements, ” he stressed.
Apology to Wa Chiefs over attacks by military officers
Whiles on a two-day working tour of the Upper East Region in July this year, President Akufo-Addo apologised to the Overlord of the Waala Traditional Area, Naa Fuseini Seidu Pelpuo IV for the brutality handed some Wa residents by military officers.
“One of the fair reasons why I came, is because of the incident that occurred here in Wa between the garrison, some soldiers here and the people of Wa. The military leaders have been here and they have promised you that they will deal with those who were responsible.
“I have come to add my voice to that of the soldiers, as well as the Minister for Defence, to say how sorry I am about the incident, and to let you know that we will do everything possible to make sure that such an incident is not repeated,” he said.
Akufo-Addo apologizes to Nigeria
Another incident where President Akufo-Addo offered apologies was when an apartment belonging to the Nigerian High Commission was demolished in June 2020.
President Akufo-Addo is quoted to have phoned his Nigerian counterpart, Buhari to apologize on Ghana’s behalf.
“President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana Tuesday spoke with President Muhammadu Buhari, expressing his sincere apology for demolition of a building on the premises of Nigerian High Commission in Accra, Ghana,” the presidency said in a statement
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