I know Nana Akufo-Addo very well, he is not arrogant – Kwesi Pratt

• Posted on March 24, 2014March 24, 2014
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

Kwesi Pratt, Managing Editor of The Insight newspaper has said that contrary to perceptions, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is not an arrogant person.

According to him widespread perceptions that the 2012 Presidential candidate of the News Patriotic Party (NPP) is arrogant can’t be true because he knows him very well.

Speaking on Nana Akufo-Addo’s declaration of intent to run in the 2016 presidential elections, Pratt told listeners of Alhaji and Alhaji on Radio Gold Saturday, he has “come to know him quite well,” during their several encounters in the past.

Describing Nana Addo as a friend, the managing editor said he can vouch that the general perception that Akufo-Addo was born with a golden spoon in his mouth and that he is an “arrogant person is not true and cannot be true.”

“I have worked with Nana. I agree with him on some occasions and so on and I think that the perception he is an extremely arrogant person is most unfair.” Nana Addo, he added, is one personality who easily connects with people.

Kwesi Pratt said amongst other things, “Nana Akufo Addo was the leading inspirer of the Alliance for Change which campaigned against hardships and also against the Value Added Tax in the 1990s.”

Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo Addo

“When you are talking about Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, I think you must be honest enough to admit that he has paid his dues,” he further stressed.

Kwesi Pratt expressed surprise at “the hullabaloo which has been generated by Nana’s declaration of intent to contest for his party’s leadership in the 2016 Presidential elections,” especially when he has not even picked up forms to become the presidential candidate of the NPP”.

The editor also waded into the long held allegation of drug use against Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo Addo and said it is not “important” at this juncture.

According to him, even Akrasi Sarpong, the Executive Secretary of the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) has affirmed that a large number of people in Ghana smoke marijuana. Due to this, if marijuana smoking were to be the yardstick in politics, a lot of people will not qualify, Kwesi Pratt stated.

“If this country is to disqualify people from leadership on the basis of who has smoked marijuana before, I just wonder how many people will be left … so as far as I am concerned the allegations of drug taking and so on against Nana Akufo Addo are not important consideration at this stage.”

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