Muntaka Begs Kufuor

Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka
National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Asawase, Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, has confessed that he was wrong when he continually slammed ex-President John Agyekum Kufuor over the latter's travels during his tenure as Ghana's president.

He said he was fond of lashing at President Kufuor whenever he traveled outside the country, noting that because he was not part of the government he could not see the need and importance of Mr. Kufuor's frequent travels.

According to the Majority Chief Whip in Parliament, he began to see the need for the president to travel outside the country when the NDC came to

power in 2009, saying that he was wrong in criticizing Mr. Kufuor.

He said on Angel Fm that the country usually accrued direct and significant

benefits from the travels of the sitting president whose trips are usually

mandatory and unavoidable.
President John Dramani Mahama has come under intense fire lately from the public who have accused him of rampantly traveling outside the country.

Virtually defending the President's frequent travels, the Asawase MP disclosed that President Mahama doesn't take delight in frequently traveling outside the country and so the public should not lambast him.

According to him, there had been some instances when President Mahama

complained bitterly about his numerous travels, adding that the president

preferred staying in the country to travelling outside.

He disclosed that there had been situations when top government officials

had to compel the president to embark on certain foreign trips after he had

declared that he was not going.
The Asawase MP noted that President Mahama usually accepts to make

such foreign trips 'after we have thoroughly explained the consequences of his travel to Ghana.'

Muntaka maintained that Ghana had accrued huge benefits from President

Mahama's visits, urging those that are fond of lambasting the president

over his travels to refrain from doing so.
The legislator stated that the president's travels had helped the country to

secure financial support from the Brazilian government for the construction of the Kumasi Central Market and other projects.

FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi