Spokesperson of the Presidential Candidate of the National Democratic Congress, James Agyenim Boateng has said President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his Vice, Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia have no reason to cry foul over the recent alleged ethnocentric comments shared by the former president.

According to Agyenim Boateng, Ex-President Mahama over the years has been subjected to the most form of ethnocentric abuse by the current President and his vice, as well as members of their party, the New Patriotic Party.

"John Dramani Mahama has suffered perhaps the most abusive form of ethnocentric abusive comments from the very people who are complaining, from Nana Addo and Mr. Bwumia. Who has even been called the most names than John Dramani Mahama?,” he questioned in response to a demand by some youth of Akyem directing the former presidents to resign and apologise on Okay FM.

He said the president and the people who are calling on Mr. Mahama to apologise need to come with equity.

According to him the former president never made ethnocentric comments in the first place and therefore does not need to apologise.

“Mr. Adongo described a deal going on in government as shady and untidy and the people behind it are those people he described as Akyem Sakawa Boys,” he clarified.

He mentioned that the only basis on which the former president will apologise for the comments will be if the people of Akyem or anybody offended by the issue can prove that they are also part of the membership of President Akufo-Addo’s government associated with the Agyapa Deal and are actually the people Mr. Adongo described as “Akyem Sakawa boys.”

Relative to the Agyapa Royalties Gold Management deal proposed by the ruling government, opposition Member of Parliament for Bolgatanga Central, Isaac Adongo in a writeup on his Facebook page referred to some government persons associated with the deal as “Akyem Sakawa Boys.”

The post which was also shared by former President John Mahama on his Facebook page has courted controversy with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo calling out the former president for promoting tribalism.

On Wednesday, September 10, 2020, some people of Akyem Traditional Area demonstrated against former president Mahama over what they say is his endorsement of tribalism.

The NDC and the former president in their defense have however stated that the “Akyem Sakawa Boys” tag was targeted at a particular group of people and not the Akyem ethnic group or people.