Claim: President Akufo-Addo has said in a radio interview that he wants to marry a woman from the Volta Region.
Misleading! The president talked about being a persistent suitor that keeps knocking on the door of the Volta Region to get the region to ditch the NDC and vote for the NPP. His comment did not in any way communicate his interest to marry a woman from the Volta Region.
Full Text
Several news reports, including those from GhanaWeb, Peacefmonline and GhPage, claim that President Akufo-Addo has declared his intention to marry a woman from the Volta Region of Ghana.
He is reported to have made the statement during an interview on Stone City Radio 90.7FM in the Volta Region on Monday, September 12, 2022.
The publications have elicited several reactions on social media with many wondering why the president would, make such a declaration on a public platform, given the fact that he is already in an ordinance marriage with Rebecca Akufo-Addo.
Verification
After obtaining a copy of the interview, DUBAWA subjected it to careful scrutiny to confirm the utterances of the president.
Between the 50.51 minutes mark and 51.45 minutes mark, the following conversation ensued:
Host: Welcome once again to the Volta Region. We know you’ve made countless visits to the Volta Region.
Akufo-Addo: According to the regional minister, since I came to power, it’s been 10 trips so far. We are not finished yet.
Host: More, more should come.
Akufo-Addo: Absolutely!
Host: I hope you are enjoying your stay here in the Volta Region.
Akufo-Addo: I am but you know my basic position that I have taken. And seeing you, of course, it has heightened it; my determination to marry the Volta Region. I’m like a suitor who keeps knocking on the door.
Host: Somebody has got me blushing.
Akufo-Addo: I am waiting for the day the door will be opened and I will keep on until the door is opened.
Given the context within which the conversation was had, it comes out clearly that the president’s statement was within the context of political acceptance by the Volta Region, which has been very loyal to his political opponents, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in every election since 1992.
This isn’t the first time the president has made such a statement.
For instance, in February 2020, ahead of the general elections, Akufo-Addo responded to comments by an opposition party executive about why he was frequenting the region, saying “I think that the spokesperson doesn’t know about a man who is determined to marry a woman. You will continue to go to the house and you go and go and go. So that is what I am determined to do. I am determined to marry the people of the Volta Region and I am going to come here as often as is necessary until I get them.” He said this at Adaklu and the report was captured by Starrfmonline.
In August 2020, while addressing the chiefs of South Tongu to cut the sod for an €85 million Keta Water Supply rehabilitation and expansion project at Agordome, the President said he was aware of the region’s loyalty to the NDC and that he was determined to win it over for the NPP.
“I’m like the suitor who is bent on marrying a beautiful woman, and I’ll keep on knocking at the door until it is open to me,” he stated. The report was copied from the Ghana News Agency and published on Myjoyonline.
As far back as December 2016, the president is captured in this Daily Guide publication saying that his New Patriotic Party will continue to woo the region “until we marry the bride.”
In September 2021, Nana Akufo-Addo again said in a VOV Radio interview that, “I am a very persistent suitor. So when I talk about marrying the Volta region. I mean it. When I set my eyes or myself on a particular target, unless it’s God, I do not give up.” This report was captured by the Daily Guide newspaper.
Why would the president be talking about marriage to the Volta region?
The context in which he has consistently made the statements, dwelling on marriage analogy, has been to express his desire and hope that the Volta region, which is the NDC’s stronghold, will jump ship and accept the NPP as a political party of choice.
Since the beginning of Ghana’s fourth republic in 1992, the Volta Region has consistently voted massively for the NDC in all elections.
The NPP has previously had no parliamentary representative in the Volta Region. John Peter Amewu, representing the Hohoe constituency, is currently the only NPP legislator in the region.
Conclusion
President Akufo-Addo has not declared his intention to marry a woman or take a wife from the Volta Region as is being peddled in various news publications.
