By Rodney Kyei

A newspaper that peddles pure lies about the Mahama
administration time and time again, has to be called to account for debasing
journalism, by the journalists’ Association and the public. The fact that Al
Hajj continues to publish lies all intended to sow conflict within the ranks of
the NDC and the executive branch of government, exposes its nefarious mission.
It raises the question, who are the mischief makers paying the paper to do
this? As the saying goes; “Follow the money!”
Three weeks ago the paper pushed a political hitjob on the
First Lady, Her Excellency Lordina Mahama, for supposedly wielding undue
influence on the President’s actions and appointments. What were the sources of
these accusations? Al Hajj did not cite a single piece of evidence except
rumored “grumbling” from unnamed political actors who claim to lack access to
the President. Without compunction the paper turned itself into the mouthpiece
of persons who want to bend the President’s ear to their own personal
interests, by dragging through the mud, our First Lady whose tireless advocacy
for critical humanitarian causes has rapidly been garnering international
recognition from renowned organizations like the Organization of African First
Ladies Against AIDS (OAFLA), Susan G Komen (Breast Cancer),Project C.U.R.E.
(Epilepsy), MedCare, Autism Speaks, the Bush Institute and others.
Then two weeks ago, Al Hajj again published lies about
personnel change among high ranking presidential staff. None of it was true,
and it was a lie with potential grave consequences for the efficient running of
the Office of the President of the Republic of Ghana. Did Al Hajj retract or
correct that story as any responsible ethical media institution would do? No.
Again, Al Hajj makes baseless accusations this past week
that the Vice President has been sidelined, repeating the same vile track of
pitting presidential staff against the Vice President. The tactic is a vicious
example of pure gutter journalism. The intent of the three back to back fake
stories about the President’s wife and staff is clear. It is to damage the
Executive Branch of the Government of Ghana, by fabricating internal crisis
where none exists within the running of His Excellency John Mahama’s
presidency.
Just when the Mahama administration is firing up efforts to
enact its ambitious agenda to rejuvenate Ghana’s economy, revamp revenue
collection, upgrade infrastructure, and catalyze 21st Century
Education reforms, Al Hajj has turned itself into the spear of shady forces who
are disgruntled about a revitalized and forward-moving NDC party that has left
them in the dust and no longer beholden to their influence. And so, as happens
with all regressive factions they resort to infantile actions to burn the house
down. They will NOT succeed. We are moving FORWARD.
However, just in case Al Hajj newspaper is ignorant of
facts, then it needs to go back to consult the 1992 Constitution of the
Republic of Ghana to learn some basic things about how the Office of the
Presidency functions as well as the nature of the Constitutionally defined
roles of the President, Vice president, and Presidential staff.
It is the President who is constitutionally accountable for
ALL governing decisions. The Vice President, the Cabinet & all presidential
staffers serve at the sole discretion of the President performing duties
assigned them. Article 57, sections 1 and 2, as well as Article 58 Sections 1-5
of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana clearly state:
57:
(1)
There shall be a President of the Republic of Ghana who shall be the Head of
State and Head of Government and Commander-in Chief of the Armed Forces of
Ghana.
(2)
The President shall take precedence over all other persons in Ghana; and in
descending order, the Vice-President, the Speaker of Parliament and the Chief
Justice, shall take precedence over all other persons in Ghana.
58:
(1)
The executive authority of Ghana shall vest in the President and shall be
exercised in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution.
(2)
The executive authority of Ghana shall extend to the execution and maintenance
of this Constitution and all laws made under or continued in force by this
Constitution.
(3)
Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, the functions conferred on the
President by clause (1) of this article may be exercised by him either directly
or through officers subordinate to him.
(4)
Except as otherwise provided in this Constitution or by a law not inconsistent
with this Constitution, all executive acts of Government shall be expressed to
be taken in the name of the President.
(5)
A constitutional or statutory instrument or any other instrument made, issued
or executed in the name of the President shall be authenticated by the
signature of a Minister and the validity of any such instrument so
authenticated shall not be called in question on the ground that it is not
made, issued or executed by the President.
Furthermore, Articles 70 through 79 of the Constitution also
vest in the President, the power to make appointments to various statutory
public institutions, and boards with the consultation and advice of relevant
bodies and personnel. The key words here are CONSULTATION and ADVICE. All final
decisions are the President’s.
Such is the power of the Office of President in the
Constitution we all adopted in 1992. In turn, the President’s responsibility
for the above enumerated powers invested in him, therefore makes him fully
accountable to the Ghanaian electorate for what he and his administration do
with that sacred authority during his tenure and when his term in office comes
up for review. This clear delineation of power and responsibility for it makes
us avoid muddying accountability.
When President Mahama served as Vice President to President
Atta Mills, he carried out tasks assigned him without complaint and without
fail, no matter the complexity of the assignment. Neither he nor anybody in the
press questioned the authority of the duly elected President Mills who
delegated those assignments to him. That was as it should be, as defined in our
Constitution. So what is Al Hajj insinuating now? The paper wants to re-write
Ghana’s Constitution or what?
Al Hajj also shows that it is grossly ignorant about the
differences between the functions of the Vice President and those of the Chief
of Staff. The Vice President is the second highest elected office of the land,
next in line to succeed the President if the situation demands it, and while in
office, serves to represent the President in various capacities as stipulated
in Article 59, Sections 1-6 in the Constitution. The Chief of Staff is an
unelected position, but a role stipulated by an Act of Parliament, the
Presidential Office Act (No. 463 of 1993), that is charged with running the
Office of the Presidency. As the title of the position clearly states, the
Chief of Staff’s job is directly delegated to him by the President to make sure
everything and personnel that the President needs to execute his agenda and
daily schedule is ready and on target. The Chief of Staff’s actions all depend
on the President’s final approval, without exception.
So, the Vice President’s and Chief of Staff’s functions are
NOT on the same wavelength, and the persons serving in those respective roles
clearly understand those differences. All those who serve in the Mahama
administration clearly know that they serve the country at the behest of the
President. Period!
The mischief that Al Hajj is cooking up pushing successive
lies about the First Lady, Vice President, and Presidential staff, is intended
to do one thing and one thing only: Sow intra-party discord and delegitimize
President Mahama’s authority as President. The paper’s disgraceful and
unethical mission is so transparent you can drive two Tata trucks through it.
Who is paying Al Hajj to drive such virulent narratives?