Hard questions to Mahama in DW interview expose key issues in Africa - Sulemana Braimah

Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) says although President John Mahama tried to stay calm during a recent interview he granted to DW TV, his answers to the difficult questions posed to him has exposed key issues facing the African continent.

According to Sulemana Braimah, the President’s answers to questions on human rights abuses, disputes with the International Criminal Court (ICC) by some African leaders and corruption show a lack of commitment by some Presidents and heads of state on the continent to ensure good governance.

“If you are a President of a country it is important that you get known for certain principles rather than always trying to please the international community and end up exposing yourself”, he said Monday evening on PM Express on the Joy News Channel (Multi TV).

President Mahama granted an interview last Tuesday on Conflict Zone on DW TV. The one-hour interview bordered on Ghana's struggling economy, the judicial scandal and Ghana's disputes with the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Although several social media comments on the interview suggest the President fumbled with some of his answers due to the hard questions put to him by host Tim Sebastian, other comments suggest the President was composed and exhibited tact deep knowledge of issues.

However, Sulemana Braimah believes beyond the President Mahama’s demeanour the interview highlighted some of the conflicting messages that leaders in Africa give to the international community.

President Mahama had re-echoed views by African Union’s views that the ICC was hunting African leaders and ignoring atrocities elsewhere.

Citing an attempt last year the ICC to arrest President of Sudan, Omar Al Bashir, during an AU summit in South Africa, President said during the DW interview, that move by the international court was wrong.

“The African Union is our continental body and if it is holding a summit in [a] country it needs a certain immunity to allow leaders to come and have a discussion. You [ICC] don’t go arresting them when they have come to on the auspicies of the African Union,” President Mahama had said.

However, Sulemana Braimah disagrees.
“Why on earth will African leaders who are committing all manner of atrocities on the African continent be tolerated at the AU level? Sometimes one wonders what the true commitment for the continent”, Sulemana Braimah told PM Express host, Malik Abass Daabu.

A governance expert, David Agbey, who contributed to the programme via telephone commended the President for exhibiting deep knowledge of the issues facing the African continent. However, he disagreed with President Mahama on his assessment of the human rights situation in Ghana.

Watch the interview on PM Express on Monday below.
Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | George Nyavor | [email protected]