Veteran Ghanaian broadcaster King Kwasi Kyei Darkwah, popularly known as KKD, has stated that the seat of the presidency has lost its dignity.
According to him, the office of the president is no longer regarded with the respect it once commanded.
Speaking in relation to an incident where President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo ordered a chief to stand up before greeting him, KKD criticized the president for such actions.
In an interview on 3FM on August 8, 2024, KKD remarked, “Truth is the ultimate power. If I make you my president for four years, you are not my chief for life. Why do you go to the place of the chief or to the grounds where the chief is in his hometown and ask him to rise to salute you? Only arrogant people do that,” he said.
He continued, “When the chief comes to the State House, which is the seat of the presidency, you are seated and he will come and greet you. But if you have wisdom, you will rise to greet him.”
When the host interjected that the president was from a royal family, KKD responded, “I don’t know about his royalty, but my point is if he is a royal, he should have been called to order.”
KKD questioned whether former presidents such as John Agyekum Kufuor, John Atta Mills, John Dramani Mahama, or even military rulers like I.K. Acheampong and F.W.K. Akufo summoned a chief to rise and greet them.
“Did you ever see Kufour, the man who managed to bring the elements of the UP tradition into government in Ghana summon a chief to rise and greet him? Did you ever see President Atta Mills summon a chief to rise and greet him?
“Did you ever see President John Dramani Mahama summon a chief to rise and greet him? Did you ever see IK Acheampong even in his military rule summon a chief to rise and greet him or FWK Akufo?” he added.
He lamented, “Our presidency has fallen to its lowest level of dignity. People look at this presidency with total disregard. There is a serious lack of dignity around the office of the presidency.”
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was caught on camera ordering a traditional ruler to stand before exchanging pleasantries with him.
A viral video from a funeral in June 2024, showed the president instructing a chief to stand up before shaking hands with him.
Only an arrogant President would ask a chief to stand and greet him – King Kwasi Kyei Darkwah (KKD)#TV3GH via @3fm927 pic.twitter.com/W7Z4doVVM9
— #TV3GH (@tv3_ghana) August 8, 2024
