‘I am saddened by my kinsmen hooting at Bawumia’ – Ahiagbah calls for ‘action’

Richard Ahiagbah, Director of Communications of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) has expressed concern over the rising spate of hooting incidents in the political space.

Ahiagbah in a November 7, 2022 tweet said it was important for thought leaders to weigh into the issue which he lamented was fast becoming a norm despite being a poor conduct.

His views were a reaction to the latest incident of political hooting that hit Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as he delivered his speech at the annual Hogbetsotso Za in Anlo on Saturday, November 5.

His tweet also cautioned against the culture stressing that it needed to be dealt with before politics turns into a shouting contest.

“I am saddened by my kinsmen hooting at DMB, at Hogbe, not only that I’m an NPP, but because of the deafening silence of thought leaders at this poor conduct which is fast becoming the norm. We must deal with it b4 our politics turns into a shouting contest,” his tweet read.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has suffered three booing incidents in recent times. The first being at the Global Citizen Concert in Accra, before his convoy, was hooted in Kumasi while on a regional tour.

The third was also directed at his convoy as he drove through a part of the Eastern Region, even though his spokesperson said the president did not hear the boos.

Bawumia suffers boos

In a Joy News video cited by GhanaWeb, the Vice President is captured enumerating what he called accomplishments of the government at the Hogbetsotso Za. His listing was punctuated by boos and jeers from a section of the crowd.

At the tail end of his listing, he made comments relating to the state of the economy, admitting among others that times were hard and government had the task of ensuring that relief is brought to the populace.

After a list of infrastructure, technological and education sector deliverables of the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo-led government, he concluded thus:

“Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, we have more to do. There is a lot more, Ghanaians are facing a major increase in the cost of living, the cost of fuel prices, food prices and so on. And we have to do more to make sure we can relieve the burdens of Ghanaians,” he stressed.

Videos that circulated on social media showed Bawumia’s arrival amid cheers from onlookers who had gathered to celebrate the festival with the Awoamefia Togbui Sri III and the people of Ho.

Bawumia did not appear disrupted or disturbed by the incident but it appears he sent a subtle message to the booing crowd at the end of his list of accomplishments.

“This is accomplishments, this is an accomplishment. There are many people who don’t like to hear good news but it is good news. But that doesn’t mean we don’t have much more to do.”