“The people said you said nothing”: Johnnie Hughes tells President

TV3’s broadcaster and NewDay host, Mr Johnnie Beresford Hughes has said the President did not address the issues Ghanaians were expecting him to touch on during his address on the economy yesterday.

The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Sunday, October 30 on live television, addressed the country on the current state of the economy.

He spoke about the financial hardships in the country, the country’s negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) the depreciation of the cedi and measures being taken to strengthen it among many others.

But reacting to the address on Johnnie’s Bite on Monday, October 31, monitored by GhanaPlus.com, Johnnie Hughes said the President did not say the things the people wanted him to say.

Ghanaians were expecting an apology – Johnnie Hughes

According to him, Ghanaians were expecting an apology from the President for taking the country to the IMF when they emphatically and also on so many occasions told Ghanaians they will not do so.

He added Ghanaians were excepting the President to address their request to relieve the Finance Minister, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta and Minister of State in Charge of Finance, Mr Charles Adu Boahen off their duties , cut down on the size of the government and also taxes on petroleum products.

“The people said you said nothing, check it on social media, check under your own post, they said you said nothing because the things that the people wanted you to say you didn’t say it. Why this is not the first time anybody is admitting that we are in a difficult place but the people wanted an apology. We will not go to the IMF, we are a proud nation, John Kumah, Nana Akumea, Finance  Okyere Baafi, we will not go to the IMF, today you are begging the IMF to speed up so where is the apology, ” Johnnie Hughes said.

“So I ask you Mr President where is the apology, we will not go to the IMF, you were emphatic about it we have ministers of state, even in Parliament it was captured, we are in the IMF, you have admitted we are in crisis which is good because admitting that there is a problem in itself is the first step to solving the problem but Mr President where is the apology,” he added.

“Mr President today, people are saying sack ken Ofori-Atta and Charles Adu Boahen, they are still at post. Yesterday if you had spoken about it and said look,  going forward from tomorrow and with immediate effect ken Ofori-Atta and Charles Adu Boahen cease to be at the Ministry of Finance, you would have seen the applauds,” Johnnie Hughes noted. 

Source: GhanaPlus.com