.....over Mahama facebook comments

Chairman of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee, Kweku Agyemang Manu, has exposed his ignorance of modern trends in communication by calling on the President to stop facebooking and work.

Apparently ignorant of the importance of social media in communication and reaching out to the people one governs, the respectable MP made fun of himself by assuming that communication through facebook is counter-productive. He further made fun of his lack of understanding of how social media operates by saying on radio that, “Last week he (President Mahama) posted something on his wall on faceook – the President himself – and I said on radio that he should stop those things for now”.

Those who are conversant with social media like facebook, know very well that leaders like John Mahama may assign people to operate their accounts for them. The MP, who might not be on social media, knows not that the medium is one of the most effective means of marketing in these modern days with presidents across the world quickly hooking up on the network.

“The President himself shouldn’t be doing this kind of propaganda politics. He should allow that to be done by the younger guys. I don’t want to mention names but you all know them,” Hon Agyemang said, implying that facebook was a medium for propaganda.

What he is not aware of is that, even his colleague MPs are now registering their presence on facebook, seeking to interact with their constituents and educate them on their programmes and projects.

If his assertion is what one should go bye, then MPs on facebook are not working well in Parliament so need to be sacked.

In other words, if the use of facebook is an effective communication tool that serious leaders need to make use of, then Hon Kweku Agyemang Manu is living in the past and therefore has no place in the august house.

The ignorance expressed in his statement certainly betrays his ability to lead in these modern days when the world is heavily relying on technology to make communication easier and more effective in leaders’ quest to reach many more within a short time.

The likes of Hon Agyemang need to take their time to learn more before making public statements on issues that have to do with modern trends. President Mahama is leading the way in that trend and all must follow than criticize blindly.