Berekum Chief’s Debunked on Claims Over Akufo-Addo’s “First Ever” Visit

Claims by the Chief of Berekum, Nana Dr. Amankona Diawuo, that President Akufo-Addo is the first President to visit his community in the past 20 years has been debunked by facts on the ground.

The chief had claimed during the President’s visit this month that Akufo-Addo was the first one since he ascended the throne.

However, this claim has proven to be untrue because in 2016, then President Mahama had visited the chief and received a warm welcome from him.

This has courted scolds for Nana Diawuo among his subjects and the general public who likened his excitement to that of a political stooge.

News reports from the archives show that former President Mahama had visited the chief 5 years ago to inspect a water project that his government was undertaking for the town.

In 2016, then President Mahama had visited the palace of the Berekum chief as part of his “Accounting to the People Tour.”

Mahama had stopped over to inspect the Berekum water expansion project, a US$16million project funded with money from the World Bank, which had started in July 2015 and was 96% completed at the time.

President Mahama had first visited the same Berekum chief, Nana Dr. Amankona Diawuo, who had welcomed him with a hug. A GTV news report on the visit captures Nana Berekum hugging President Mahama.

“We thank the President that thus far he has given us an MCE, Hon. Opoku Boakye Yiadom with whom we are together governing. And I will reiterate, there have been MCE from NPP and there have been MCEs from NDC but he is the only one who treats all of us in Berekum here like his children and so it has brought peace to Berekum,” Nana Amankona Diawuo had told President Mahama.

Recently, President Akufo-Addo visited the Berekum palace as part of a tour of the Bono Region.

In his welcome speech, Nana Diawuo stated: “I welcome the President and his entourage. Just like the linguist said, since I ascended this throne, which is almost 20 years now, no other head of state has visited this house. And so we are very happy…”

Continuing the misinformation, President Akufo Addo said: “First of all, Daasebre, I thank you that when I sent word that I was visiting Berekum, you enthusiastically welcomed me. I thank you very much. I am also happy that I happen to be the first head of state to ever visit you here in your palace as chief.” 

It is unclear the motivation for such a glaring gaffe by both the chief and President Akufo Addo.