I have a tough job; Ghanaians should appreciate my efforts - Mustapha Hamid

Information Minister, Mustapha Hamid in recent times has been the subject of intense criticisms regarding his efficiency as a government spokesperson, leading to calls from the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and some critics on President Akufo-Addo to replace him with a more competent person.

The critics who argue that the Minister was not defending and espousing the works of government well enough, want Dr. Hamid to be reshuffled and the Information Ministerial position given to Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide newspaper, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako Jnr.

They believe Kweku Baako is more suited for the job of an Information Minister due to his indebt knowledge in governance issues.

Kweku Baako, a regular panellist on JoyNews’ ‘Newsfile’ which airs every Saturday is an outspoken social commentator who is always in possession of a wide range of “rare and credible” documents that he uses to back his claims during talk shows either on radio or on television.

However, the Information Minister believes people need to come to terms with the fact that he puts in lots of efforts to satisfy the demands of his job which he insists requires him to attend to issues all over the country and not just in the nation's capital, Accra.

Mustapha Hamid's statement goes to buttress an earlier response to the similar criticism on the Hard Truth programme that his job is demanding and goes beyond sitting on Newsfile every Saturday, hence no one should compare Kweku Baako to him as the veteran journalist has not been a minister before.

This comments by the minister did not sit well with a section of Ghanaians as they felt the reply was too harsh and unfounded.

But speaking to GhanaWeb’s Editor, Kwabena Kyenkyenhene Boateng on ’21 Minutes with KKB’, Mustapha Hamid debunked reports suggesting he threw a jab at Kweku Baako, indicating that he only answered the question faithfully without malice.

“I didn’t throw him a jab... I answered a question faithfully that being a Minister for Information is not the same as being a media person whose duty on a daily basis is to do research on certain topical issues and espouse them. But he himself has come out to say that my answer was correct...that it is true that his job is not like mine and I’m putting it to you that if you are made minister of information today, you will not be on Newsfile every Saturday of your life. You simply cannot, it is not possible, it’s not,” he said.

He explained that the job of a minister is not as easy as it seems because he is always gathering information from all angles and travelling across the country just to serve Ghanaians well, therefore, it is unfair for people to expect him to sit on Newsfile every Saturday to show off his competence.

“These two past Saturdays I’ve been in Upper East Region and Northern Region. This weekend I will be in Central Region so what time am I going to find to be sitting on Newsfile every Saturday. How am I going to do that? So the two cannot be the same and he appreciates that they are not the same. And he researches on specific topics; I’m researching on every other topic that concerns our national life as Ghanaians,” he said.

When asked by the host if he will resign or apologise to Ghanaians as the Minority Caucus in Parliament are demanding, Mustapha Hamid retorted, “Well, they are entitled to their opinion”.