Evidence-Based Address...Why Not Smartty's, Woyome, etc? Akufo-Addo Derides Mahama

The 2016 flagbearer of the opposition New Patriotic Party Nana Addo Dankwa-Akufo Addo has pooh-poohed on President John Dramani Mahama's evidence-based style he adopted when he presented his State of the Nation address to Parliament last week.

President Mahama, on Thursday, introduced a new approach during the delivering of the 2016 SoNA by showcasing direct beneficiaries of his administration’s social intervention programmes.

Even though there has been widespread social media mockery of the President’s strategy, some have described it as a great art of communication.

To the NPP Flagbearer, it is "an embarrassing display of a few vulnerable Ghanaians".

Calling the president's address 'theatrical" and a show of "mediocrity", the NPP Flagbearer bemoaned the sad levels of propaganda exhibited by the president.

Alluding to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Keta in the Volta Region, Richard Quashigah, who expressed angst with his own (NDC) government for neglecting his people in the Keta constituency, in the provision of potable water, Nana Addo said just hours after the president's SoNA, his claims are being challenged.

Hon Quashigah claims he had filed several questions in parliament about the acute water problem in his constituency, but despite assurances from the deputy Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing, Sampson Ahi, the problem still remains unresolved.

The NDC MP said his constituents, especially residents of Anyako, Konu and Seva Kedzi feel shortchanged.

Mr speaker, I have personally followed up to the ministry and another assurance was given to me but still no tanker is supplying water to my people who are in need of potable water...Mr speaker, I listened to the minister who gave an overview of all water projects being undertaken in the country and the towns which are in dire need of potable water, but the minister never mentioned the Keta constituency,” he said on the floor of Parliament, adding if his people did not matter, the government must tell them.

Questioning why the President failed to bring those who looted the treasury to parliament as part of his 'evidence-based learning', especially businessman Alfred Agbesi Woyome, who, according to the court, illegally obtained GHȻ51 million from the nation and beneficiaries of the Smartty’s bus branding scandal and those he said had looted funds of the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) to Parliament., Nana Addo pointed out that every example of progress held out by President Mahama is cancelled by collapsing businesses.

According to him, the unemployed people in Osu, Nungua and the catchment areas can populate the El-Wak stadium if the president is interested in evidence-based learning.