John Mahama, the 2024 flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has addressed rumours circulating on social media that claim he deliberately bypassed the chiefs and people of Ehi in the Ketu North District during his recent campaign tour of the Volta Region. These rumours suggested that the former president ignored a scheduled meeting with the traditional leaders of Ehi, leaving them waiting for several hours.
Speaking to journalists on the final day of his four-day tour, Mahama clarified that visiting Ehi was not part of his official itinerary. He attributed the confusion to a possible miscommunication, where someone might have arranged the meeting with the chiefs without properly coordinating with his campaign team.
"I want to make it clear that visiting or meeting the chiefs and people of Ehi was not part of the scheduled programme for our tour in the Ketu North District," Mahama stated. He expressed regret for any inconvenience or disappointment caused to the people of Ehi, emphasizing that he holds traditional leaders in high regard and would never intentionally disrespect them.
Mahama also urged the public to disregard misleading videos and messages circulating on social media that suggest he deliberately ignored the chiefs and people of Ehi. "The video and messages circulating on social media do not reflect the truth of the matter. I urge the public to ignore these rumours," he emphasized.
The meeting with journalists was part of an effort to foster open dialogue between Mahama and the media covering his campaign. It provided an opportunity for reporters to seek clarification on various aspects of the campaign, including the incident involving the Ehi chiefs.
Mahama's four-day tour of the Volta Region included engagements with various communities, traditional leaders, and stakeholders. His outreach focused on addressing key concerns such as infrastructure development, economic empowerment, and cultural preservation. He reiterated his respect for all traditional authorities and promised better coordination and communication with local leaders in future visits to avoid similar misunderstandings.
