The 2024 Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has taken steps to clarify and dispel rumours circulating on social media, alleging that he deliberately ignored the chiefs and people of Ehi in the Ketu North District during his recent campaign tour of the Volta Region.

According to the rumours, Mahama was expected to meet with the traditional leaders of Ehi, who had reportedly waited for him for several hours, only for him to bypass the community without addressing them.

Speaking to a group of journalists on the morning of the final day of his four-day tour, Mahama explained that the visit to Ehi was not included in his official itinerary.

He suggested that there may have been a miscommunication or a misunderstanding, possibly due to someone arranging a meeting with the chiefs without 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. Someone might have made arrangements with the chiefs without going through the proper channels or informing our team," Mahama stated.

Mr Mahama expressed deep regret for any inconvenience or disappointment that the people of Ehi might have experienced. He emphasized that his campaign team values the role of chiefs and respects traditional leaders in Ghanaian society and that he would never intentionally disrespect any of them.

"I sincerely apologize to the people of Ehi and their esteemed chiefs for any inconvenience that this situation may have caused. It was never my intention to disregard or disrespect our traditional leaders. I hold our chiefs in the highest regard and understand the important role they play in our communities," Mahama added.

He further appealed to the public to disregard any misleading videos or messages circulating on social media suggesting that he deliberately ignored the chiefs and people of Ehi. Mahama reiterated that his campaign is committed to engaging with all communities and that any oversight was purely accidental.

"The video and messages circulating on social media do not reflect the truth of the matter. I urge the public to ignore these rumours, as there was no deliberate attempt on my part to bypass Ehi or its people. We are committed to engaging with every community and ensuring that no one is left out," he emphasized.

The meeting with the media practitioners, which took place on Friday in the Volta Region, was designed to foster a more open and interactive dialogue between Mr Mahama and journalists covering his campaign.

The session provided an opportunity for the media to ask questions and seek clarification on various aspects of Mahama’s campaign, including the incident involving the Ehi chiefs.

Mahama’s four-day tour of the Volta Region has been marked by a series of engagements with various communities, traditional leaders, the clergy, and other stakeholders, as he continues to rally support for the NDC in the lead-up to the 2024 general elections.

His outreach efforts have focused on addressing key concerns of the region, including infrastructure development, economic empowerment, and the preservation of cultural heritage.

Mr Mahama reiterated his respect for all traditional authorities and promised to take steps to ensure better coordination and communication with local leaders in future visits, to avoid similar misunderstandings.