“…something occurred (Tuesday) that escaped the attention of many, but I would like to use the platform PeaceFM has offered me to highlight it. Next time when organizing such a program, handlers of the president…must try to improve on that. Did you realize that they made the President stand on his feet for over two hours just to answer questions? It is not healthy, it is not fair,” says Alhaji Bature Iddrisu.

That was a concern raised by the Managing Editor of the Al- Hajj Newspaper after President Mahama’s Media Encounter at the Flagstaff House to mark his First Year in office.

According to him, it was wrong for the “handlers of the President” to have made him stand on his feet for those long hours because it is against medical advice. He believes the President could have been affected by the long hours of standing in spite of the fact that he is a young man.

“…the President could have collapsed. Two hours…even those of us seated were praying for a quick end to the program so that we could stretch our limbs. For you to subject the President to two grueling hours of standing is thoughtless,” he argued.

Speaking to PeaceFM News, Alhaji Bature stated that even if the President choose to stand all through the program, his handlers should have insisted on him sitting down at some point.

The seasoned Journalist’s concern stems from the fact that the work of a President is very tasking and long hours of standing which may seem harmless to many, could prove dangerous to his health.

He also advised that subsequent editions of the program should be tailored in such a way that Ministers of State would be allowed to respond to some of the questions so as to allow the President some time to sit down and “take in some water”.

Alhaji Bature further opined that President Mahama could not resourcefully answer some of the questions posed to him, especially the one on cocoa, due perhaps to the prolonged standing which had a telling effect on him.