Participants of the regional public forum, held in Koforidua as part of activities marking the first anniversary of the Kufuor administration, have expressed surprise at the “news blackout” about a nasty incident, which occurred at the “People’s Assembly” last Monday.

The ugly scene was created by the Eastern Regional Minister, Dr Francis Osafo Mensah, in reaction to a question asked by Mr Baba Jamal, the Deputy Eastern Regional Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

The questioner had sought to know why a letter of invitation to the forum had specifically mentioned only “members and admirers of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for their massive participation in the forum”. However, Jamal’s last syllable had hardly dropped, when the minister flew into tantrums, accusing the questioner as a liar.

But, to prove his case, Jamal produced a copy of the letter for the “examination” of the panellists. There again, the Regional Minister described the letter as a forgery, further accused Jamal as an impostor and ordered party supporters present to beat up the questioner “for his impertinence”.

And that was a signal for one Constable Opoku of Galloway Barracks to exhibit the “animalistic spirit” in him and charge, like a bull on Jamal. According to eye-witnesses, but for the intervention of some well-wishers and other decent and well-mannered security present, Jamal could have been lynched by the partisan “crowd”.

To ascertain the identity of the questioner, as well as verify the truth or falsehood of Jamal’s case, the man was first whisked to the local BNI office, where the culprit promised to produce the original letter. A Ghanaian Chronicle reporter who was present assisted by offering his car to bring the original letter.

Upon reading the text, the BNI officials rushed to the forum and informed the “big men” about their findings, which had obviously proved the culprit right and also established his identity as the Deputy Eastern Regional Secretary of the NDC. Drenched in shame, the Minister then told the gathering that a mistake had been committed somewhere, which might have caused the “misinformation”.

What now amazes the participants, who witnessed the uncouth behaviour of the Minister, is the fact that the whole press could exercise a ‘black’ silence over the incident, which actually made news. For on stage at the time of the incident, were a line up of Ministers and top Government officials, including Miss Elizabeth Ohene, the one time garrulous Minister of Media Relations, Mr Osei Kwaku, Sports Minister, Dr Agambila, Deputy Finance Minister and the Municipal Chief Executive.

Also present was the Methodist Bishop of Koforidua, who chaired the forum. If the findings of the event, the kind which created the nasty scene before all the array of “big men”, had “gone the other way”, it might have attracted banner headlines.

Meanwhile, the national secretariat of the NDC is to file a protest with the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), against an obvious disservice to the public. Other measures are being taken to seek redress and ask that the Minister’s nose is pulled for his ill-manners and the havoc he nearly caused to the life of an innocent and law abiding citizen.