Media Analysts Group defends President's Ivorian position

January 27, 2011
Accra, Jan. 27, GNA - The Media Analysts Group of Ghana (MAG), a pro-government pressure group, on Thursday defended President John Atta Mills' position not to commit troops to a military action in Cote d'Ivoire describing it as "a wise and sensible one".

The group has therefore criticised the flag-bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, for condemning the President's position and asked him to publicly apologise to Ghanaians.

Speaking at a press briefing in Accra Mr Alfred Kojo Triddles, spokesperson of the group, said Nana Akufo-Addo's pronouncements had proved beyond all reasonable doubt that he did not love Ghana and should not be elected into power.

Mr Triddles said the statement made by the NPP flag bearer had displayed his position on the Ivorian issue pointing out that if he were to be the Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces, he would have "hurriedly and recklessly led the way and committed Ghanaian troops in a senseless war whose end he cannot predict".

He described the NPP flag bearer's press conference held last week as "unwarranted and uncalled for" adding, "Nana Akufo-Addo should have rather told Ghanaians of any alternative plan for improving the lives of his countrymen in the agricultural sector, health sector, education sector and the economy as a whole."

President Mills told a press conference on January 7 that Ghana supported the decision of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for a military intervention in the Ivorian crisis, but the country would not contribute troops because it was overstretched.

He reiterated Ghana's neutrality in the internal affairs of the neighbouring nation.

President Mills said the Ivorian issue was a matter of concern and expressed the hope that peace was restored in that country.

But the many commentators and opposition politicians have described it as a "stab in the back" of ECOWAS leaders.

GNA