Opinions of Sunday, 24 October 2010

Columnist: Tawiah, Francis

Kobby Acheampong must no longer be tolerated

The disrespectful Deputy-Minister, Kobby Acheampong must no longer be tolerated. Ghanaian People does not deserve such a pompous Minister.



Kobby Acheampomg (9.10.2010): Insults Have Always Been Part Of Ghana’s Politics.



Kobby Acheampong Speaking on Citi FM’s Big Issues program (9th Oct. 2010)

















Audio Attachment: Deputy Minister of Tourism, Kobby Acheampong on why he thinks that though insults has been an integral part of Ghana’s politics for a very long time; those at the helm of affairs shouldn't indulge in it.













Deputy Minister of Tourism, Kobby Acheampong.











Deputy Minister of Tourism, Kobby Acheampong, says though insults have been an integral part of Ghana’s politics for a very long time; it should be left for the masses.



Speaking on Citi FM’s Big Issues program, he said people at the apex (in politics) should not indulge in the negative practice of name calling but for the proletariat, it is understandable because they ‘engage in the heat of the moment adventures in politics”.



“In our politics, people at the apex should not engage in name calling, as for folks down, it has been part of the political campaign that you engage in name calling and mud-slinging at that level, because they engage in the heat of the moment adventures in politics that is sometimes allowed,” he stated.



He said insults and name calling has always been the style of most politicians and this is limited to only Ghanaians.



“I remember that in 1996, candidate Bob Dole calling President Clinton booze’ in New Jersey. He realized that if he didn’t use any kind of strident language, his approval rating or his rating in terms of campaign was going down and the first people who criticized him was from his own political party, the Republicans and the correction came from within his own party and he apologized for it and moved on,” he noted.



He however, quickly added that Ghana’s case is different, in that “no one cares what anyone says”; not even people from one’s own political party.



“In our situation, when such language is used, you will not even see the correction coming from your own party and I believe every party has people who will not necessarily agree with the kind of (intemperate) language that is used for any particular person, especially when it is name- calling,” he said.



According to Acheampong, these comments become a problem when people misconstrue statements made by their opponents as insults.



“If you make statements that bother on any other thing that is misconstrued as an insult, it becomes a big problem but as far as I’m concerned, this has been the style of most people,” he said.



*Now, this same so-called Minister, who is opined a Ghanaian Minister intimidating less privileged Ghanaians is not “breaking a leg” is again turning round to insulting Ghanaians living in the Cocoa cultivating areas as “COCOASE” UNCULTURED and PRIMITIVE PEOPLE.



What is really wrong with our Country?



Who dare you, call such names!!



What have Ghanaians done to deserve such a disrespectful (so-called) Deputy Minister?



FRANCIS TAWIAH (Duisburg – Germany)