Koku Anyidoho, Founder and CEO of the Atta Mills Institute (AMI), has responded critically to former President John Dramani Mahama’s controversial remarks about the people of Greater Accra.
Mahama, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer, suggested that residents are primarily focused on traditional foods like kenkey and fish, implying they do not need digitalization to improve their lives.
Anyidoho took to X to express his disapproval, stating, “JM has caused serious problems for himself via his extremely derogatory comments about Gas spending all their lives thinking of kenkey and fish.” He emphasized the insensitivity of such statements, questioning how they would resonate positively with the electorate.
Mahama made his comments during a campaign tour in the Ablekuma South Constituency, where he expressed confusion over the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) presidential candidate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, and his push for nationwide digitization. He remarked that the Gas and Dangmes “only need kenkey and fish to survive,” dismissing the relevance of digitization.
“They will digitalize the kenkey. Does that mean you will eat digitization? By the grace of God, we will not eat digital kenkey. We eat real kenkey and fried fish,” Mahama stated at a rally in Chorkor.
Anyidoho’s critique highlights a broader concern within Ghanaian politics regarding how leaders engage with citizens. He argues that Mahama’s comments risk alienating voters in Greater Accra and fail to recognize the evolving needs of the community. “To think that people are only concerned with kenkey and fish is a disservice to their intelligence and their capacity to thrive in a digital world,” he concluded.
