Audio Attachment:Listen to the heated shouting match erupted between a Deputy Minister of Information, Hon. Baba Jamal and the Editor-In-Chief of the New Crusading Guide newspaper, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako. |
The Wednesday, June 29th edition of Peace FM�s �Kokrokoo� Morning show, the station�s flagship programme turned dramatic when a heated shouting match erupted between a Deputy Minister of Information, Hon. Baba Jamal and the Editor-In-Chief of the New Crusading Guide newspaper, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako.
The verbal altercation began when the discussants comprising Central Regional Communications Director for the NDC, Benard Allotey Jacobs, NPP MP for Ahafo Ano South, Hon Stephen Balado Manu, Deputy Information Minister, Baba Jamal and Editor-In-Chief of the New Crusading Guide newspaper, Kweku Baako were debating the issue of politicians using proceeds from narcotic trade to finance activities of their parties.
Kwaku Baako had in his submission stated that though the NDC alleged severally when it was in opposition that some members of the New Patriotic Party were involved in illicit drug trade, they had failed to follow up on their allegations by prosecuting any culprit, and cited publications by some pro-government newspapers and comments by some NDC activists to buttress his point.
This did not go down well with the Deputy Minister, who, when he took his turn, launched a blistering attack on the senior journalist. His submission suddenly took a shift from the subject under discussion to personal issues as the deputy Minister sought to discredit some undercover stint done by Kweku Baako.
To him, the New Crusading Guide Editor-In-Chief has no moral authority to question decisions by government and also issue directives to the Mills� administration on how to govern and what drug-related cases to pursue.
�All the things you publish�turned out to be untrue (referring to Mr Baako�s publications on how much the schooling of the Rawlingses children costs)...I am serious, when we checked, everything is untrue, so don�t poison the public with these things. You can�t tell us what to investigate because when the NPP was in power, you couldn�t impress on them to investigate and prosecute your so called investigations so we don�t expect you to be telling us what to do...As a responsible citizen of this country, what did you do about you investigations on the accounts of the Rawlingses? Did you take him to court?...You can take anybody on for acquiring any property wrongly and you were close to the system so why didn�t you take them on?...You went to Switzerland and came back but couldn�t prove anything so you can�t tell us to what do or who to investigate,� he fumed.
But the outspoken newspaper editor, who felt the Deputy Minister�s line of argument, was obtuse, pointed out that though he did investigate the Rawlingses and published the evidence gathered, he never travelled to Switzerland. He therefore cautioned Baba Jamal to get his facts right before commenting publicly on issues, especially since he is a deputy minister of information.
Clearly not enthused by that remark, Baba Jamal sharply retorted that Mr Baako should ever refrain from reminding him (Jamal) that he is a deputy information minister. He accused the New Crusading Guide Editor-In-Chief of always going on air and bandying newspaper publications about as evidence.
�You never prove anything; you always create the same problem and try to resolve it in your own way. If newspapers publish something, you want to use that as evidence�Does government publish newspapers?� he asked.
For close to ten minutes, the back and forth exchange went on between the two, until the host of the show, Kwami Sefa Kayi called for a cessation of hostilities by ending the programme.
Source: Beatrice Adepa Frempong/Peacefmonline.com
Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. |