A former General Secretary of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) says President John Mahama would have collapsed the company producing fruit juice beverage, Kalyppo if he had been the first to sip it.
Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie is of the conviction that the NPP adopted the drink as a sign of solidarity, in part to boost Akufo-Addo’s credentials as a man of the people.
Mr Owusu Afriyie popularly known as Sir John was speaking on Adom FM’s Morning Show “Dwaso Nsem” Friday following comments made by Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, who, whilst campaigning in the Brong Ahafo region, urged adult Ghanaians to stop patronizing the fruit juice.
Speaking to supporters of the NDC in the Brong Ahafo Region, Mr. Debrah said: “There is a new disease in Accra called Kalypolytes, and if i come here i need to speak to you about it. I am pleading with you that you adults here if you take Kalyppo, the sugar content can leave you with some sickness so please don’t take it”, the chief of staff is reported to have said this.
The trend began when supporters of the ruling New Democratic Congress, in a bid to rodicule the opposition leader, posted a photograph of Akufo-Addo drinking Kalyppo as refreshment between campaign stops.
The Chief of Staff’s comments have since attracted severe backlash from the public, with a group calling itself Concerned Ghanaians for Local Products demanding an apology to Ghanaians as well as the manufacturers of the drink, or risk being sued.
The 2016 presidential candidate of the NPP, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has also described the comments as reckless.
According to Nana Akufo-Addo, after killing Ghanaian businesses in the last eight years because of poor policies, the Mahama government is now actively campaigning to collapse Ghanaian businesses, which employ thousands of people across the country.
“I have heard one of Mahama’s appointees (Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah) saying that Ghanaians should no longer consume Kalyppo because it contains sugar. So after killing Ghanaian businesses, they are now campaigning to make sure that no one patronises made-in-Ghana products, and thereby collapse Ghanaian businesses? Ghanaians should not pay heed to such loose-talk from officials of the Mahama government,” he said.
But Sir John – who believes President Mahama and his government are envious of businesses which are flourishing in the country – has urged them (NDC) to stop making unnecessary comments leading to collapse of businesses.
“Why would Julius Debrah and his government collapse our businesses which are already suffering under Mahama. In fact, Kalyppo would have collapsed if Mahama were the one seen sipping it.
“They are just envious of businesses in the country. But let me tell them today that we will continue drinking Kalyppo because the symbolic aspect of it is that it will let our businesses grow under an Akufo Addo government” he stressed.
Join GhanaStar.com to receive daily email alerts of breaking news in Ghana. GhanaStar.com is your source for all Ghana News. Get the latest Ghana news, breaking news, sports, politics, entertainment and more about Ghana, Africa and beyond.
