Kwesi Pratt Jnr., Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, has called on Mahama Ayariga to render an apology to the entire nation over comments he made on radio a couple of days ago.
The Youth and Sports Minister, Mahama Ayariga is reported to have lambasted Ghana's media practitioners for asking, what he says, are "useless" questions.
The Sports Minister has been quizzed by the media to account on the budget for Ghana's participation in the just-ended African Cup of Nations (AFCON) but the Minister flew in rage as he told some seasoned Presenters in the country not to waste precious airtime on frivolous issues.
According to the Minister, the journalists should rather be asking questions which border on the performance of the Black Stars in the tourney and not how much money was invested into the team's participation in the AFCON.
“...sadly you are asking me about…the money that was spent on food...You are using valuable time to discuss useless matters, please, I think that this is very regrettable and it will dampen the spirit of the boys who were trying to kill themselves only to come back and even the food that they ate, they will hear on radio that their minister is [answering questions] about the food that they ate. It’s sad...If I decide to grant you an interview as a minister, I expect you to ask me useful questions…you want to take over the job of the Auditor? Are you the Auditor?” Mr Ayariga fumed on Adom FM.
Speaking on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo", Mr. Pratt advised the Sector Minister to quickly "retract" his words and apologize for such public gaffe.
He strongly held that as a Minister, everybody in the nation is obliged to ask questions and ensure that he (Mahama Ayariga) account for a pesewa of taxpayers' money he spends to champion the sports sector.
Kwesi Pratt further noted that even if the question is "rubbish", it behooves the Minister to be tactful in providing answers but not burst out in such harsh tone.
“As you become a leader in this country or village, one thing you can never say; you’re not allowed to say is that ‘somebody is talking rubbish’. You can never say that. Never! Who are you to say that somebody’s act is nonsense?...Are we not in a democratic dispensation? Even if it’s ‘rubbish’, it’s his duty to ask you ‘rubbish’ questions and when he asks you ‘rubbish’ questions, you are rather obliged to give wise responses.”
Mr. Pratt expressed disappointment in Hon. Ayariga for making such comments because to him, it is legitimate for any person to find out about the budget on the Ghanaian contingent a the 2015 AFCON.
“When we’re setting up a building, don’t we ask how much money was used? When constructing roads, don’t we ask how much was used? Everything that we do in this country, we ask how much was invested but why is it that as for football, we’re told not to ask...
"...If I were him, I would retract and render an apology because such language is not appropriate; not for a Minister,” Pratt said. |
|
|
|
|
No comments:
Post a Comment