“We were trained that even when an elderly person goofs in public, you don’t look into his eyes and tell him you have lied”— Basintale blasts Akufo-Addo

Deputy National Communications Officer for the National Democratic Congress ( NDC), Malik Basintale has criticized President Akufo-Addo’s reaction towards the Mempeasem chief.

He stated that the President could have better demonstrated some level of decorum in registering his displeasure at the action of the chief at the said event.

The Deputy Communications Officer of the NDC believes chastising the chief as though he was a child was totally unnecessary.

Speaking on the issue on June 13 2023,TV3 New Day Morning Show with Roland Walker in reaction to the viral video, Malik Basindale made the following remarks.

“We were trained that even when an elderly person goofs in public, you don’t look into his eyes and tell him you have lied, you don’t attack and criticize him just the way you want to do, this is a traditional ruler for God sake, this is a man who came with an entourage, this is a man who leads the sovereignty of a section of the state, just because the man may have aired in your opinion, you think that the best way to vent and be angry and demonstrate in public as if the man was some child or some small boy.”

According to him, the President acted same in the Upper East Region by disrespecting the people of the region and Ghanaians at large by addressing the crowd while standing on the Ghana Flag.

“Let me remind you of something, that in the Upper East Region, he stood on the Ghana flag and addressed the crowd,” he stated.

In a viral video from the 2023 edition of the Green Ghana Day Celebration, which was organized at the University of Ghana, the President was seen angrily directing the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey, to order the chief to stand up and observe the national anthem.

The chief was seated while the national anthem was being observed by the patrons including the President.

In an apology letter, the chief explained that he was unable to stand for the national anthem due to ill health.

He said he didn't stand to observe the national anthem because he was weak.