‘False’ 10,000 km roads claim: How Akufo-Addo mocked Minority MPs during SoNA

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo took his mockery of the Minority in Parliament to a new level earlier this week when he delivered the State of the Nation, SoNA, address.

One of the contentious issues arising from his address was the claim that in five years, his government has constructed over 10,000 km of road.

While making the claim in Parliament, he gestured mockingly at the Minority as he used his hands to widen his eyes – apparently asking the Minority to open their eyes and see the facts he was speaking to.

A 14-second TikTok video of the president engaging in the mockery has since gone viral on especially Twitter and Facebook.

The President is heard saying: “Some 10,885 km of new roads (cheers heard from the Majority bench) have been constructed…”

In reacting to the viral video, Kwame A Plus, activist and media personality, wrote on Facebook: “Don’t give up because you don’t have the men. You can do it yourself. Even sign language. Good morning my friends.”

The president’s claims were contested especially by opposition MPs, the Road Ministry issued a statement clarifying why the figures they had supplied the President were correct.

But a Fact-Checking organization, Ghana Fact, delved into the claim and rated it false.

Their verdict read in part: “Ghana has a total road network of about 80,000 kilometres (km), according to the Ministry of Roads and Highways – hence the claim by the President would mean about 13.5% of Ghana’s road network would have been constructed between 2017 and 2021.

“But the claim sharply contradicts a report by the Ministry of Roads and Highways on the number of roads the Akufo-Addo-led government has constructed in the last 5 years.

“According to the Minister for Roads and Highways, Kwasi Amoako-Attah, a total of 4263.37 km of roads have been constructed within the period.”

Watch the viral video below: