Blakk Rasta apologises to Parliament

Blakk Rasta
Accra, June 25, GNA - Reggae musician and radio presenter Abubakar Ahmed, popularly called Black Rasta on Thursday apologised to Members of Parliament for contemptuous comments attributed to him that 80 per cent of the legislators smoke marijuana.

He told the Privileges Committee of the House that his comments were unfortunate 'and that one was one of the unfortunate remarks you make when you are on heat', attracting laughter from members and observers.

He rendered an unreserved apology, saying, 'I am sorry for my unfortunate utterances.'

He said the comments were made in the spur of the moment and has now realised that they were in bad taste.

Mr Ebo Barton-Odro, First Deputy Speaker, who chaired the hearing, said the Committee would meet, take its decision, and make a report to the House.

When asked if he still stood on his position for the weed to be legalised, the witness replied firmly in the affirmative, explaining that the legalisation of Ganja would fetch the nation more money than from cocoa to check the imbalance in the economy.

Witness who appeared with Counsel Thaddeus Sory and Programmes Co-ordinator Mark Mantey of his radio station was unequivocally regretful for the denigrating comments to members, and said he would register his apology on radio.

It was the same remorseful urge that saw him ask his editors at Adomfmonline, a member of the Multimedia Group that first published the comment, to take down the publication he had made in an interview he granted the company on his advocacy for the legalisation of marijuana in Ghana.

Blakk Rasta apologised that it was never his intention to castigate parliament or anybody when he talked about how much economic and therapeutic advantages the nation could gain marijuana is legalised.

At one time, Mr Mantey told the Committee that the '80 per cent' comment was not part of what the station had with the witness.

This necessitated the playing of the recording.
After the re-playing of voice, Mr Sory intervened, stated the interview was not about parliament.

'We have all become wiser after the facts,' he said.

Meanwhile, the House has unanimously approved the nominations of President John Mahama of Mr Justice Appau, and Mr Gagriel Pwamang, who were vetted recently, to the Supreme Court of Ghana.

GNA