GENERATIONAL YOUTH MOVEMENT GYM

MOTTO: DEVELOPMENT IN FREEDOM

5TH AUGUST 2012

PRESS RELEASE

PRESIDENT JOHN Mahama & The Use Of Intemperate Language On Ghanaian Airwaves Very Unfortunate.

It was in disbelief and shock to have heard our newly sworn in president on Joy fm, in connection with the burial of our departed president, to have made a statement that Ghanaians who took part in the debate both on radio, television and even in their private homes and work places engaged in a “USELESS” debate. We find this pronouncements coming from the number one and most important person in Ghana, very unfortunate & unacceptable judging from the fact that most of the people who engaged in the debate over the president’s final Burial place includes people from the Clergy(Bishop Palmer Buckle), Chiefs, Ministers of state(Haruna Iddrisu), Members of Parliament, Civil Society groups, senior members of the ruling government including Nana Ato Dadzie(Spoke person of the Funeral Committee), Mr. Totobi Kwakye(Chairman of the funeral Committee), Mr. Kwadwo Okyere Mpiani (former Chief of staff), Mills maternal & paternal family in Ekumfi Otuam & Cape Coast respectively and us ordinary citizens of the nation. It is quite unfortunate for the president to say these important personalities engaged in a useless debate insinuating they are “USELESS”. This hot words should not come from the president of our nation in this time when all & sundry are calling for us to use the demise of the late President to foster unity within our beloved country. It seems to us our new president has a penchant for insulting a section of the Ghanaian public that show divergent views to what the president believes. Sometime ago, during a debate on the viability of the STX Housing deal, H.E John Mahama, then Vice President of the republic of Ghana described our Members of parliament who expressed their views on the issue as “BALONEY”! According to the Oxford Dictionary, “baloney” is a North American term meaning “foolish”, “nonsense” “rubbish” or “moonshine”. The other time when the A-G’s office has Charged Kennedy Agyepong with Treason, Terrorism & genocide, former President Kuffuor appeal for calm and asked the A-G’s office not to kill a fly with a Hammer, Mr. Mahama replied angrily, “we will kill a fly with a Bulldozer”. We believe His Excellency is a fine man but unfortunately, whenever the Political temperature of this country goes up, his statements always aggravate matters. During the Launch of the NDC government’s Green book volume 2, the then Vice President Now president, launched his verbal attacks on Ghanaians again saying that it is only those that are blind that do not see the good work of the NDC government. This too we find unacceptable & denigrating to our brothers & Sisters who are visually impaired. The president defied the goodwill that Ghanaians were bestowing on him and moved excavators & Bulldozers to start digging numerous Graves at the FLAGSTAFF HOUSE at the expense of the Taxpayer who he has seriously insulted ,only for us to be told the Late President would rather be buried somewhere at the Castle but not the Flagstaff house.

It is quite regrettable that at this time when our nation is mourning the late President Mills, when Traditional Leaders like the great Ashanti King Otumfour Osei Tutu II & well meaning Ghanaians are shunning the use of intemperate languages on our airwaves, our new President has thrown caution to the wind and has transferred his old habit of insulting people he disagree with when he was Vice President to his new Position of President of the Republic of Ghana. We find his recent outburst very disgusting, insulting to the integrity of the people of Ghana, condemnable & divisive. We are therefore by this medium appealing to the H.E President Mahama to; • Withdraw his statement and apologize to the good people of Ghana. • Show tolerance to the views of the people of this country whose votes brought his party to power , • And to urge him to realize he is now our President and as such must be measured in his public utterances. We pray our new President stops insulting the people & gets serious solving the numerous problems facing our dear country. Long live Ghana!

Kingsley Kofi Karikari-Bondzie Spokes Person TEL: 0244575116