Diaspora Patriots in Ghana Urges Mahama to apologize to Akyems Over Ethnocentric Comments

The Former President, John Dramani Mahama continues to receive backslashes from diverse individuals and groups for using his Facebook wall to promote ethnocentric comments in an apparent bid to win political power come December 2020.

The lastest group to strip off the skin of Mr Mahama is the Diaspora Patriots in Ghana Foundation (DPG) which has strongly condemned the ethnocentric comments being promoted by the Flagbearer of the Opposition NDC.

The group in a statement issued in Accra and signed by its Chairman, Mr Prince Owusu Sefah vehemently called on the former first gentleman of Ghana to immediately render an unqualified apology to the good people of Ghana.

The NDC Flagbearer following his strong disagreement with the ruling Government over the Agyapa Royalties deal recently reposted a divisive and ethnocentric comment of an NDC member of parliament calling the sitting President and some government officials as "Akyem Mafia" and "Sakawa Boys".

According to the Diaspora Patriots in Ghana Foundation it seemed that the real problem Mr Mahama had with the Agyapa deal was that fact that some people with Akyem ethnicity were involved in its setup.

"The Agyapa Royalties deal is a better version of a previously failed deal by the NDC around 2010. It is created by entities owned by the Nation and not individuals like Mr Mahama attempted to do with our bauxite for his brother, Ibrahim Mahama. And, it is expected to significantly increase revenue for the State".

The Foundation insisted that it had observed a pattern of such ethnocentric behaviour by Mr Mahama over the years.

They cited some instances where Mr Mahama in 1996 taunted Hon. Kwame Prempeh on the Floor of Parliament, for interchanging R & L pronunciation and, ascribing his supposed bad command of the English language, to his ethnicity.

He is also on record for referring to Ashantis as ungrateful people, who will not show him appreciation even if he tarred all their streets with gold.

Mr Mahama is also known for telling people in various parts of the North of Ghana to vote for him simply because he is one of them.

"Now, it seems Akyems are his next target, perhaps because some key people in his way, as he tries to regain the power he lost overwhelmingly for poor governance, in 2016, happen to be Akyems".

The Diaspora Patriots in Ghana Foundation observed that Ghanaians were now more united in the pursuit of democracy, justice, freedom and development and would not allow Mr Mahama or any politician to divide them and sway their focus from the substantive issues of policy and performance, which really matter to national progress.

"We have peacefully coexisted in spite of our religious, ethnic and cultural differences. We must not take lightly the denigration of any tribe of Ghana, especially by someone aspiring to become President.

DPG, therefore, called on all well-meaning Ghanaians to ask Mr Mahama to render an unqualified apology to all those he had been denigrating, and rather try to offer serious policy ideas and demonstrate credibility.

"We should all ask Mr Mahama to stop his ethnocentric tendencies, which he often resorts to, in his confessed willingness to do anything for more votes".