Although the South African High Commissioner has received some backlash for what most people described as a partisan, discriminatory, and divisive statement, the defensive NPP Chairman says he does not think the under-fire Diplomat meant what he said.

Freddie Blay, who described Ayisi Boateng as a “good friend” and “fine gentleman” said the statement was justified because he spoke within a particular context during his talk with party youth at the Kumasi Technical University.

Blay said Ghanaians are fond of picks and calling each other names, usually in a bad context while citing himself as a victim of former President John Mahama whom he said referred to him as rabbit.

“My former friend, my very good friend; in a bad context referred to me as rabbit and all kinds of names. I have ignored it. We take it from our side as part of the game.”

Ghana’s Ambassador to South Africa came under fire when he said at a public forum that he would put the interests of members of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), ahead of other Ghanaians in the discharge of his duties.

After defending the comment and claiming he was taken out of context, the public bashing, chiefly on social media, intensified, causing him to apologise and retract the comments.