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Al-Hajj Peddles Lies

Fri, 8 Nov 2013 Source: Kyei, Rodney

By Rodney Kyei

A newspaper that peddles pure lies about the Mahama

administration time and time again, has to be called to account for debasing

journalism, by the journalists’ Association and the public. The fact that Al

Hajj continues to publish lies all intended to sow conflict within the ranks of

the NDC and the executive branch of government, exposes its nefarious mission.

It raises the question, who are the mischief makers paying the paper to do

this? As the saying goes; “Follow the money!”

Three weeks ago the paper pushed a political hitjob on the

First Lady, Her Excellency Lordina Mahama, for supposedly wielding undue

influence on the President’s actions and appointments. What were the sources of

these accusations? Al Hajj did not cite a single piece of evidence except

rumored “grumbling” from unnamed political actors who claim to lack access to

the President. Without compunction the paper turned itself into the mouthpiece

of persons who want to bend the President’s ear to their own personal

interests, by dragging through the mud, our First Lady whose tireless advocacy

for critical humanitarian causes has rapidly been garnering international

recognition from renowned organizations like the Organization of African First

Ladies Against AIDS (OAFLA), Susan G Komen (Breast Cancer),Project C.U.R.E.

(Epilepsy), MedCare, Autism Speaks, the Bush Institute and others.

Then two weeks ago, Al Hajj again published lies about

personnel change among high ranking presidential staff. None of it was true,

and it was a lie with potential grave consequences for the efficient running of

the Office of the President of the Republic of Ghana. Did Al Hajj retract or

correct that story as any responsible ethical media institution would do? No.

Again, Al Hajj makes baseless accusations this past week

that the Vice President has been sidelined, repeating the same vile track of

pitting presidential staff against the Vice President. The tactic is a vicious

example of pure gutter journalism. The intent of the three back to back fake

stories about the President’s wife and staff is clear. It is to damage the

Executive Branch of the Government of Ghana, by fabricating internal crisis

where none exists within the running of His Excellency John Mahama’s

presidency.

Just when the Mahama administration is firing up efforts to

enact its ambitious agenda to rejuvenate Ghana’s economy, revamp revenue

collection, upgrade infrastructure, and catalyze 21st Century

Education reforms, Al Hajj has turned itself into the spear of shady forces who

are disgruntled about a revitalized and forward-moving NDC party that has left

them in the dust and no longer beholden to their influence. And so, as happens

with all regressive factions they resort to infantile actions to burn the house

down. They will NOT succeed. We are moving FORWARD.

However, just in case Al Hajj newspaper is ignorant of

facts, then it needs to go back to consult the 1992 Constitution of the

Republic of Ghana to learn some basic things about how the Office of the

Presidency functions as well as the nature of the Constitutionally defined

roles of the President, Vice president, and Presidential staff.

It is the President who is constitutionally accountable for

ALL governing decisions. The Vice President, the Cabinet & all presidential

staffers serve at the sole discretion of the President performing duties

assigned them. Article 57, sections 1 and 2, as well as Article 58 Sections 1-5

of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana clearly state:

57:

(1)

There shall be a President of the Republic of Ghana who shall be the Head of

State and Head of Government and Commander-in Chief of the Armed Forces of

Ghana.

(2)

The President shall take precedence over all other persons in Ghana; and in

descending order, the Vice-President, the Speaker of Parliament and the Chief

Justice, shall take precedence over all other persons in Ghana.

58:

(1)

The executive authority of Ghana shall vest in the President and shall be

exercised in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution.

(2)

The executive authority of Ghana shall extend to the execution and maintenance

of this Constitution and all laws made under or continued in force by this

Constitution.

(3)

Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, the functions conferred on the

President by clause (1) of this article may be exercised by him either directly

or through officers subordinate to him.

(4)

Except as otherwise provided in this Constitution or by a law not inconsistent

with this Constitution, all executive acts of Government shall be expressed to

be taken in the name of the President.

(5)

A constitutional or statutory instrument or any other instrument made, issued

or executed in the name of the President shall be authenticated by the

signature of a Minister and the validity of any such instrument so

authenticated shall not be called in question on the ground that it is not

made, issued or executed by the President.

Furthermore, Articles 70 through 79 of the Constitution also

vest in the President, the power to make appointments to various statutory

public institutions, and boards with the consultation and advice of relevant

bodies and personnel. The key words here are CONSULTATION and ADVICE. All final

decisions are the President’s.

Such is the power of the Office of President in the

Constitution we all adopted in 1992. In turn, the President’s responsibility

for the above enumerated powers invested in him, therefore makes him fully

accountable to the Ghanaian electorate for what he and his administration do

with that sacred authority during his tenure and when his term in office comes

up for review. This clear delineation of power and responsibility for it makes

us avoid muddying accountability.

When President Mahama served as Vice President to President

Atta Mills, he carried out tasks assigned him without complaint and without

fail, no matter the complexity of the assignment. Neither he nor anybody in the

press questioned the authority of the duly elected President Mills who

delegated those assignments to him. That was as it should be, as defined in our

Constitution. So what is Al Hajj insinuating now? The paper wants to re-write

Ghana’s Constitution or what?

Al Hajj also shows that it is grossly ignorant about the

differences between the functions of the Vice President and those of the Chief

of Staff. The Vice President is the second highest elected office of the land,

next in line to succeed the President if the situation demands it, and while in

office, serves to represent the President in various capacities as stipulated

in Article 59, Sections 1-6 in the Constitution. The Chief of Staff is an

unelected position, but a role stipulated by an Act of Parliament, the

Presidential Office Act (No. 463 of 1993), that is charged with running the

Office of the Presidency. As the title of the position clearly states, the

Chief of Staff’s job is directly delegated to him by the President to make sure

everything and personnel that the President needs to execute his agenda and

daily schedule is ready and on target. The Chief of Staff’s actions all depend

on the President’s final approval, without exception.

So, the Vice President’s and Chief of Staff’s functions are

NOT on the same wavelength, and the persons serving in those respective roles

clearly understand those differences. All those who serve in the Mahama

administration clearly know that they serve the country at the behest of the

President. Period!

The mischief that Al Hajj is cooking up pushing successive

lies about the First Lady, Vice President, and Presidential staff, is intended

to do one thing and one thing only: Sow intra-party discord and delegitimize

President Mahama’s authority as President. The paper’s disgraceful and

unethical mission is so transparent you can drive two Tata trucks through it.

Who is paying Al Hajj to drive such virulent narratives?

Columnist: Kyei, Rodney