The National Communications Director of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Richard Ahiagbah, has taken on the National Democratic Congress (NDC) over the flooding in the Volta region as a result of the Akosombo dam spillage.
Mr Ahiagbah has accused the NDC of politicising the issue instead of offering solutions on how the affected communities can be supported.
“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 is structured. 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 politicise it” the NPP man bemoaned.
“For the NDC, the business of helping people is not their concern; the optics is what NDC majors in. What’s the value of the optics if the person doesn’t get help? If the person is not cared for, what’s the value of the President’s visit? When the President visited, it’s become an issue; when he hadn’t visited, it was also an issue,” he slammed.
Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme Wednesday, he questioned why the NDC would exhibit such a posture, especially when the government and relevant stakeholders have already put in place rescue mechanisms.
Mr Ahiagbah’s position comes in the wake of the controversy President Nana Akufo-Addo’s comment at Mepe has generated.
He is quoted as saying, “If it is a question of counting who votes for me and who doesn’t vote for me, then I shouldn’t be here because you don’t vote for me”.
Many, including the NDC, have criticised him describing the comments as unpresidential and insensitive.
But to Mr Ahiagbah, there were already government structures in place and work ongoing to address the situation, hence the President’s presence was not even necessary.
“The President doesn’t need to be there to demonstrate that he likes or doesn’t like Voltarians. I think as someone from the region, I find it always insulting that the NDC will always politicise this matter as if that is the only way development can come to the Volta Region. When they are in government what happens there?” he queried.
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