Mr Joseph Boakye Danquah Junior, a son of the late Dr J. B. Danquah, doyen of Ghanaian Politics, has advised Dr Tony Aidoo, Head of the Research Department of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to be courteous when addressing President John Agyekum Kufuor, Ministers of state and other government officials.
Mr Danquah was reacting to pronouncements made by Dr Aidoo on "Kweku One On One", a GTV programme. In an interview Mr Danquah Jnr said people should not take advantage of the repeal of the Criminal Libel law and "the cool wind blowing in the country" to use insulting and provocative language against members of the government and its functionaries.
He called on Dr Tony Aidoo to produce documentary evidence that President Kufuor stole over a billion cedis to renovate his private residence.
Mr Danquah said if Dr Aidoo failed to do this he should be arrested and charged for insulting behaviour. "In those days of PNDC/NDC rule who dared go to a radio station more so TV to insult the then President Rawlings and the NDC Gurus", he said.
Mr Danquah noted that it was the reckless dissipation of national resources by the NDC regime under ex President Jerry John Rawlings, which has forced the country into the highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative.
"Education should normally instil in people, discipline, decorum and courtesy. For such an educated man as Tony Aidoo to come out the way he does is an apology to education."
Mr. Danquah urged the Ghana Journalist Association (GJA) to educate its members on how to handle people like Dr Aidoo now that the criminal libel law has been revoked to reciprocate the gesture of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government.
