After �Foolish, Baloney� Insults, Mahama Strikes Again

President John Dramani Mahama Friday described as �petty� the debate over where should be the final resting place for Ghana�s late president, John Evans Atta Mills, exposing once again his intolerance for dissenting views on issues of national concern. Many well-meaning Ghanaians from all walks of life, including highly respected and influential people like the Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra, Most Rev. Charles Palmer-Buckle, Papa Kwesi Nduom, presidential candidate of the Progressive People�s Party, former Chief of Staff, Kwadwo Mpiani, were part of the debate. Some commentators have described President Mahama�s comment as �a subtle insult,� something he is noted for. Some users of the social network, Facebook, never took kindly to President Mahama�s subtle insult, with one critic insisting that if anybody was petty then it was the president himself, for taking that "thoughtless" decision and forcing it on the Mills Funeral Committee �and being hopelessly stubborn about the decision when the whole nation felt the decision was an insult to the memory of President Mills.� It can be recalled that during the debate over whether or not Ghana should collateralise its oil, Mr Mahama, then Vice President, descended heavily on the New Patriotic Party Minority Members of Parliament, describing as�foolish, baloney�, their position that the state must not be allowed to use the country�s expected oil revenue as collateral for loans. The minority MPs did not take kindly to the insults rained at them for expressing dissenting views on that important national issue and called on Mr Mahama to apologise to them. He has failed to do so till date. President Mahama�s description of the debate over the burial place for the late president as �reckless�, and the previous insults on NPP MPs, in the view of some commentators, betrays him as someone who does have the stomach to tolerate dissenting views. The so-called reckless debate over the late President Mills burial place was triggered off by President Mahama�s government after he was quoted by a member of his Cabinet and Communications Minister, Haruna Iddrisu as having directed that the mortal remains of the late president should be buried at the Flagstaff House. Though the initial decision to bury the late president was confirmed by Nana Ato Dadzie, spokesperson of the Mills Funeral Planning Committee, the Mahama-led government later claimed no such decision had been taken. Addressing a delegation from the Assemblies of God Church Friday, President John Mahama said his decision for the late President Mills to be buried at a specially designated place in between Castle Drive and Marine Drive Osu, Accra, should end the wrangling debate over his successor�s final resting site. President John Mahama added that his decision for the late president to be buried at Geese Park should put to rest the �petty politics�, stressing that the late law professor whose tragic death paved the way for him to assume the highest position in the country deserves some respect.