Harry Maguire of Manchester United accepts apology from Ghana MP over mocking incident

During a parliamentary debate on the budget last year, Ghanaian MP Isaac Adongo apologized to Manchester United footballer Harry Maguire for mocking him, comparing Vice-President Mahamadu Bawumia's economic management to Maguire's performance on the pitch.

Last year, Adongo made a widely shared social media post in which he likened Bawumia to Maguire, whom he called "the biggest threat at the center of the Manchester United defense." This reference was part of a broader speech in which he accused Bawumia of mishandling the economy and causing suffering for citizens.

Ghana is currently facing its most severe economic crisis in decades due to rapidly increasing public debt, leading to high inflation and a weakened local currency.

During a discussion on the 2024 budget, Adongo stated that Maguire had changed his stance and retracted his analogy.

Adongo issued an apology to Harry Maguire, praising him as a game-changing footballer now making an impact for Manchester United. Maguire responded to the apology in a post on X, expressing a desire to meet at Old Trafford in the near future.

Adongo continued to criticize Bawumia, alleging that he was constantly seeking assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) with financial aid. Last year, Ghana's government sought help from the IMF, and a three-year, $3 billion program was approved in May, with an initial disbursement of $600 million.

Bawumia heads the governments economic management team as has been selected as the ruling party candidate for 2024 elections.