General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has claimed that Nana Akufo-Addo’s speech plagiarism controversy has brought more shame to Ghana than his winter coat disgrace–and as such Nana Akufo Addo must acknowledge the severity of the issue and make amends.

Asiedu Nketiah rubbished claims that the plagiarism was nothing serious. He said: “It’s not petty; it’s a major issue that has brought disgrace to Ghana in the international community.”

He added:  “The Washington Post, New York Times, CNN, Al Jazeera and the BBC are all running commentary on it and it shows it’s a major issue, it’s a blot on the country’s image. The needed corrections must be done.”

He continued; “If my winter coat issue alone could have been said to have brought international disgrace to the entire country, how much more the case of the president plagiarising the comments of some former US presidents in his inaugural speech?”

According to him, “They [NPP] even used the plagiarism card against Tamale South MP Haruna Iddrisu, who is now the Minority Leader, leading to his degree being stood down until a committee cleared him of any wrongdoing. It tells you the seriousness of plagiarism. So it’s a bit surprising that university lecturers are now defending the act.

“If they keep trying to cover-up the president’s faults as they are doing, it will get to a point where: ‘The Emperor will be naked, yet everyone would be telling him his cloak is nice,” he added.