Law lecturer, Moses Foh-Amoaning has called on President Akufo-Addo to, as a matter of urgency, appoint a senior communicator to assist Eugene Arhin in his discharge of duties as communications director at the presidency.
Mr Foh-Amoaning believes the plagiarism controversy that has characterized the president’s inaugural speech was “shameful” and “regrettable”.
In his estimation, the raging disagreement over the president speech could have been avoided if a “more experienced” person was in the helm of affairs.
“I’m not in any way questioning the young man’s [Eugene Arhin] ability to run the show at the presidency, but sincerely, the gospel truth is he needs help from an experienced person to assist him execute his task,” Mr Foh-Amoaning asserted on Okay FM in Accra.
According to him, considering President Akufo-Addo’s background as a revered lawyer and political experience, he would have crafted a fascinating speech if the speechwriters had done the necessary consultations.
“We all know that the president during his practice at the bar was a brilliant advocate and an experienced politician for that matter, so I don’t see why we had to Google inaugural speeches to be able to draft a speech for him on the most special day of his life,” the legal luminary added.
Moments after the president’s swearing in ceremony in Accra, news went viral that there were striking similarities between Akufo-Addo’s speech and those delivered by two former United States Presidents.
Portions of Nana Akufo-Addo’s speech were the exact words of ex-Presidents George Bush and Bill Clinton.
The quote, “I ask you to be citizens, not spectators…,” which was uttered by Nana Akufo-Addo during his inaugural speech has been attributed to Presidents Woodrow Wilson and later George Bush.
The office of President Akufo-Addo subsequently issued an apology, admitting to lifting words without acknowledgment.
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