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With those arguing that the Presidential Candidate of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Akufo-Addo has no locus to state his version of the State of the Nation Address, the Member of Parliament for Obuasi West, Kweku Kwarteng has rubbished those arguments.

According to the Member of the Select Committee on Finance in Parliament, anybody can stand anywhere in Ghana other than Parliament to deliver their version of what they think to be the true state of the nation on the grounds of freedom of speech.

The 2016 Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo last Monday at the College of Physicians and Surgeons delivered on behalf of his party the "Real State of the Nation Address".
 
But some political pundits have stated it was wrong for Nana Akufo-Addo to deliver his "Real State of the Nation Address" after President Mahama delivered what the Constitution demands him to do.

James Kwabena Bomfeh of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) averred Nana Akufo-Addo cannot step into the shoes of President John Mahama to deliver his "Real State of the Nation Address" as there is no second President in Ghana apart from President Mahama.

On this same issue, the Deputy Finance Minister Hon. Cassiel Ato Forson said on Okay FM’s 'Ade Akye Abia' Morning Show that there is nowhere in Ghana’s Constitution in Article 67 which allows the opposition leader to deliver his state of the nation address apart from President Mahama through Parliament.

In view of these arguments raised, the Member of Parliament for Obuasi West on the same platform admitted it is true that the Constitution says the President will go to Parliament to deliver the State of the Nation Address but quizzed, “did Nana Addo come to Parliament to deliver his speech; so which constitution has he violated”?

He however described the argument by the Deputy Minister of Finance as ‘diversionary tactics’ to run away from the exposure Nana Akufo-Addo has made in the State of the Nation Address delivered by President Mahama.

He maintained that Nana Akufo-Addo didn’t come to Parliament to deliver his speech; thus he is empowered by his right to freedom of speech. 

He averred that if Nana Akufo-Addo had insisted to go to Parliament to deliver his speech, one would have been right to conclude that he has violated the Constitution; adding that “the Constitution cannot restrict any English word usage in Ghana."

“Was it lawful when the late Atta Mills in 2008 also delivered his own true State of the Nation Address in opposition? The freedom of speech means that anybody can stand anywhere to deliver whatever they think is the true State of the Nation other than Parliament,” he argued.