President Akufo-Addo, Henry Quartey
The Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council (GARCC) has called on the public to disregard a footage of an incident during last week’s Green Ghana Day activities at the Mensah Sarbah Hall, University of Ghana.
In reaction, the Ag. Chief Director of the GARCC, Ms. Jemima Lomotey writes, “the GARCC has noted a video depicting an incident during the Green Ghana Day at the Mensah Hall, University of Ghana where President Akufo-Addo is instructing the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey, take instant action on some persons who remained seated when the national anthem was being played.
“We feel compelled to address certain misconceptions from the footage as some have unfortunate misinterpretations,” the Council stated.
The video, the statement went on, sought to indicate that the President was expressing fury at the regional minister.
On the contrary, the statement explained the President was only directing the regional minister to take immediate action against invited guests who remained seated in disregard to the national anthem which was played before the start of the programme.
Meanwhile, the statement pointed out that the President and all others remained standing in patriotic reverence to the national anthem as it was being played at the time.
The regional minister proceeded to the persons to counsel them on what to do as directed by the President.
The Greater Accra Regional Minister returned to sit with the President after his assignment in complete harmony.
In tune with his practice during such occasions, the President when the curtains were drawn over the programme engaged in the exchange of pleasantries with the invited guests including those who disregarded the national anthem.
In conclusion, the GARCC states “we urge the public and all well-meaning persons to disregard the contents of the contemptuous spin to the video which appears crafted to create unwarranted disaffection. We also call on the residents of the region to support the regional minister as he advances the ‘Let’s Make the Greater Accra Work Again’ agenda to improve the lot of residents.”
By A.R. Gomda