Managing Director of the State Transport Company, and former Director of Communications of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Akomea, last year expressed embarrassment over being confronted with past promises made by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) that remain unfulfilled.
During an interview on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana in June 2022, when host Randy Abbey questioned him about his feelings regarding these unfulfilled promises, Akomea admitted, “Absolutely; it’s embarrassing”, emphasizing that these were not mere propaganda but commitments the party had pledged to fulfill.
Akomea elaborated on his discomfort, stating, “I mean, when I come and sit here, and you play pronouncements that have been made, I am embarrassed because these are not propaganda; these are things we said we’d do.”
He also noted that the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) could be held to similar standards, suggesting a pattern of unmet promises across parties.
Akomea however, distanced himself from personal accountability for the party’s promises, explaining that specific individuals in charge of various sectors should be questioned.
“It’s a very simple explanation: you have to ask those who are in charge, because the things that we said we’ll do, there are sectors and there are people in charge,” he said.
Recounting an incident where he was personally held accountable, Akomea shared, “You know, somebody sent me something [clip] last week and I laughed. He said: ‘Nana Akomea said the government was going to pay rent and now we can’t find him; we’ll do aluta against him because we can’t pay our rent’.”
Nana Akomea clarified that such promises were made by the party, not him personally, and directed inquiries about the rent promise to the responsible ministry.
“I didn’t communicate those things on my behalf. This is what the party says it will do, so, probably, if you want to know what’s happening to the rent promise, you have to go to the ministry in charge of rent, in charge of housing,” he noted.
The interview highlights the challenges political figures face when their party’s promises come under scrutiny and the public’s demand for accountability.