The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has said: “President Akufo-Addo’s unhinged attack of the diplomatic corps during his message on the state of the nation is most repugnant, illogical, and intolerant.”

President Akufo-Addo while delivering the State of the Nation address in parliament on Wednesday, 8 March 2023, said there is so much freedom of speech in Ghana to the extent that even diplomats partake in the country’s national discourse – something he noted would be frowned upon in those diplomats’ home countries were the tables turned.

“Today, we live in a country in which we enjoy complete freedom of expression, freedom of association, freedom of assembly, freedom of religion and political affiliation.

“Indeed, freedom of speech has now reached such heights that even members of the diplomatic corps feel able to join in our national discourse, and pronounce on matters that would be problematic for Ghanaian diplomats in their countries of origin”, Mr Akufo-Addo noted.

“Nevertheless, Mr Speaker, it seems to me the important thing in our free speech environment is actually to try and hear each other, instead of raising the decibel level of our individual points of view”, he told the house.

The President’s statement followed comments by German Ambassador to Ghana, Daniel Krull, that Germany was ready and willing to help achieve debt relief for Ghana but insisted it will only do that if the government of Ghana would put its house in order.

Daniel Krull had said this after President Akufo-Addo, on Friday, 3 February 2023, urged Germany to “encourage” China, an ad hoc member of the Paris Club, to support Ghana’s debt restructuring efforts.

Reacting to what appears to be a jab at the German Ambassador in the President’s state of the nation address, Mr Ablakwa in a Facebook post said Mr Akufo-Addo cannot accuse diplomats of joining the national discourse when he was the very person who invited them by begging for debt cancellation after grossly mismanaging the Ghanaian economy.

In Mr Ablakwa’s view, the President is basically telling the foreign envoys: “I desperately need your money and benevolence but not your advice on how to reduce the size of my government and cut down on my extravagant expenditures as the German Ambassador counseled recently.”

Mr prayed Mr Akufo-Addo’s “impervious posture” does not derail the already difficult bilateral negotiations on Ghana’s external debt restructuring.

He added that “President Akufo-Addo must definitely win the prize for the world’s most arrogant beggar.”