President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is being accused of watching on while his daughter, Edwina Nana Dokua Akufo-Addo disrespected Ghana’s national anthem at a public event.
The said incident of which a video has since gone viral on social media occurred at the 30th anniversary commemoration of the death of President Akufo-Addo’s late wife and mother of Edwina, Mrs Eleanor Akufo-Addo.
The video shows Edwina seated beside her father talking away on phone while the master of ceremony of the event announced the observation of the national anthem and thus called on the gathering to stand in line with protocol.
While she stood to observe national anthem, the first daughter of the president continued talking on her phone until midway through the anthem when she dropped the phone in her handbag and stood attention for the remainder of the anthem.
The video has attracted several reactions across social media with some users accusing the president of being nonchalant about his daughter’s conduct.
Coming at a time when the president has recently lashed out at a chief publicly for failing to stand for the national anthem, President Akufo-Addo is being accused by his critics of being hypocritical and failing to hold his family to his own standard.
“Nana Addo thought he and family are better than the rest of Ghanaians” a Twitter user @AbdulaiMuniru wrote.
“And yet, he was really angry at the chief when he was not able to stand for the same anthem. Ghana we dey” @Twenty4Greg also wrote.
On Friday, June 9, 2023, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was captured flying into a rage at a public ceremony.
The president, during a ceremony at the Green Ghana Day event held at the University of Ghana, was captured reacting furiously and instructing the Greater Accra Regional Minister to take some action.
Inaudible for the most part of his rage, President Akufo-Addo is heard telling the regional minister to "go and tell him..., stand up..."
It emerged that the president’s action was incited by the failure of Nii Torgbor Obodai Ampaw, the chief of Mempeasem to stand for the national anthem.
The chief in a later statement apologised to the president while noting that his refusal to stand for the anthem was the result of ill health and the effect of a medication.
Nii Torgbor in his statement added that he subsequently took active part in the event including standing for the national anthem when it was played later following the president’s outburst in spite of his health challenge.
