John Mahama’s ‘Adversarial Remark’

When President John Mahama eventually spoke about the many scandals which have bedeviled his government, there was no doubt that it was an issuance of a positive testimonial to his appointees.

None of them has done anything untoward and that accusations being levelled against them are useless efforts at hunting for non-existent scandals.

By the testimonial so given and publicly, the President has dismissed the scandals as fake and concocted to tarnish the image of his appointees.

Embattled Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and even Sports Minister Kofi Iddi Adams have cause to celebrate the President's bill of good health.

This milestone in our country's history is heartbreaking and we dare state that the President has disappointed even the hawks among his loyal supporters.

Good governance has witnessed a nosedive and would take great efforts to reverse the unenviable low it has reached. That can come about only when this government exits power.

Ghanaians would have to learn to live with the poor governance of the President until change comes through the ballot box.

Seeking scandals where these are non-existent is an insult to the integrity of journalism in the country, and we can state without any shred of doubt that had the same remark been uttered by his predecessor, President John Mahama, then opposition leader, would have mounted rooftops to fire his verbal attacks.

His silence about the emerging scandals prompted thoughts about what he could be up to until he showed up at the Ghana Journalists' Association (GJA) awards' function over the weekend.

The adversarial position of journalists, as he went on to say, does not show deference to the practice of the Fourth Estate of the Realm. Journalists are not on the ground to scratch the backs of politicians for pittances. The interest of Ghana supersedes all else.

It is the duty of the media to keep the government on their toes, and so to hunt for scandals when there is suspicion should not be described as adversarial, as the President sought to imply. As a trained journalist, we wonder what in his estimation was wrong with the JoyNews story regarding the scandals about both the South African evacuation and the diplomatic and service passports for sale.

In any case, what informed the interdiction of the Director of Passports if, indeed, there was nothing untoward happening under the stewardship of the Foreign Affairs Minister? Isn't it appropriate to determine the role of the Minister in the moral mess?

To think that journalists would fold their arms as bad politicians exploit whatever situation that crops up for their selfish and personal gains, including their political parties, is to display foolishness on the part of leadership.

Subtly rubbishing a report which had the potential of winning an award, the expose about the financial mess surrounding the South African evacuation and diplomatic and service passports for sale, but did not according to the estimation of the panel, is to be unduly protective of the poor stewardship of the President and his team.

If the President thinks that there was nothing wrong with using fictitious details to issue diplomatic and service passports, then God save this country from the hands of bad politicians.

As for the Minority in Parliament and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in general, let them continue to expose the scandals, but they should remember that under the presidency of President John Mahama and the speakership of Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, there would be no committees or probes set up to audit the scandals.