General News of Friday, 3 October 2003

Source: Heritage

Mahama Slams The Media

The leader of the People's National Convention (PNC), Dr. Edward Mahama, has described as unfair the media?s treatment of the activities of his party. He contended that anytime the party made a statement on issues of national importance, either such statements are completely ignored by the media or published with distortions. This behaviour, according to Dr. Mahama, is not only "unfair" to the PNC, but also prevent the "ideas of the party from getting to the public"

Dr. Mahama speaking in an exclusive interview with The Weekend Heritage in Accra on issues about the PNC and the Grand Coalition. He blamed sections of the press, (private and state-owned) for the action and described their behaviour as "deliberate." However, the PNC leader said, when he considered the fact that at the national level the country's press is currently not focusing on real issues Confronting the country, then he is tempted to believe that perhaps, the action by the media is not a deliberate one. He declared that he could forgive the press for such attitude towards his party and expressed the hope they (media) mature as the country's democracy matured.

On other issues, Dr. Mahama viewed the "underprivileged" and the "downtrodden" as the main strongholds of the PNC. He expressed concern about the current state of the youth whose potentials, according to him "are being wasted away" due to neglect on the part of the state to help them to reach their individual potentials describing it as a "shame". Dr. Mahama said the "human mind is a terrible thing to waste" To prevent such wastage he called for the creation of systems and institutions that would work for the total benefit of all in the country, adding that, such would move the nation forward in its quest for economic development.

Touching on the tripartite Grand Coalition between the PNC, EGLE and the GCPP, Dr. Mahama expressed optimism that it would take over the mantle of government come next year He deplored the "growing tide of corruption and high drop-out rate of school children in the country, saying that the only credible alternative party capable of addressing these problems is the GC. He said the Coalition was working seriously to make sure that it defeated the NPP in the forthcoming elections. "We are not presenting them a idle threat," he added.

Asked whether the re-organization of the CPP would pose a threat to the Coalition, the PNC leader replied in the negative, saying the only threat to the Coalition is the ruling NPP which according to him, is likely to be defeated by the Coalition. Dr. Mahama urged the CPP to consider joining the Coalition since it is the only Nkrumaist group outside the Coalition. Currently two of the main Nkrumaist followers namely the PNC and the GCPP have joined the GC. He cautioned the CPP against joining the NDC, adding "it is the cause of division in the Nkrumaist front" Asked whether the GC would ever join the NDC should it become necessary, the PNC leader answered in the negative. According to him the NDC is the cause of the rot that the country experienced in the last two decades, And that the current NPP government was only continuing the mess.