President’s press secretary apologises for ‘plagiarised speech’

Eugene Arhin, Director of Communication at the Presidency has rendered an unqualified apology for portions of President Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo’s inaugural speech which did not acknowledge the sources of some of the quotes he used.

Social media went rife after some Ghanaians accused the president of plagiarising the inaugural speeches of US Presidents, Bill Clinton and George Bush.

“I ask you to be citizens: citizens, not spectators; citizens, not subjects; responsible citizens building your communities and our nation,” a portion of President Akufo-Addo’s speech read.

But Bush’s original speech delivered in 2001 read, “…I ask you to be citizens: Citizens, not spectators; citizens, not subjects; responsible citizens building communities of service and a nation of character.”

Moments after concerns were raised, Mr Ahin in a Facebook post said it was an oversight and has subsequently apologised for the mishap.

“My attention has been drawn to references being made to a statement in the speech delivered by the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, at his swearing in on Saturday, January 7, 2017, which was not duly acknowledged.

I unreservedly apologise for the non-acknowledgement of this quote to the original author. It was a complete oversight, and never deliberate. It is insightful to note that in the same speech were quotes from J.B Danquah, Dr. K.A. Busia, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and the Bible which were all duly attributed and acknowledged,” his post read.

Ghabaweb