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Has the NPP'S Wontumi
hit the nail hard on its head or...?
By Dr. Michael J.K. Bokor
Thursday, February 11, 2016
Folks, the NPP's Ashanti Regional Chairman
(Bernard Antwi Boasiako, also known as
Chairman Wontumi) is known as a vile critic
of the NDC and its government led by
President Mahama. He is known for the use of
intemperate language to register his stiff
dislike for anything NDC/Mahama and does
politics as defined by his understanding of
the UP culture. He is also known for
extending his mean attitude to President
Mahama's brother (Ibrahim), and is in court
to answer for smearing Ibrahim.
He is out again, expressing dismay at the
manner in which President Mahama reacted to
the killing of the NPP's Abuakwa North MP
(J.B. Danquah-Adu). As reported, Wontumi has
condemned President Mahama as not "showing
respect to the deceased and his family"
because he used a non-traditional means to
express his "shock" at the murder of the MP.
Indeed, President Mahama had used his
Twitter space to express that shock, which
is at issue as fart as Wontumi's reaction is
concerned. Let's hear him as reported:
"It does not show respect for President
Mahama to tweet to console the family of the
deceased MP. It is not traditional for him
to use that medium to sympathize with a
member who is party to one of the arms of
government which makes laws for the
country…it is sad and surprising for the
President to do that... I expected as the
Parliamentarians did, considering events
surrounding his death, the President would
have issued a statement to offer condolence
to the bereaved family.”
He went further to accuse President Mahama
of "not showing any interest towards the
safety of his people, especially in the wake
of numerous cases of contract killings and
unresolved murders"; and he opined that
President Mahama should have used the death
of the MP to assure the nation of maximum
protection to offer hope of peaceful
environment for Ghanaians. (See
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Mahama-didn-t-show-respect-to-family-of-slain-MP-Wontumi-414556).
MY COMMENTS
True, one would have expected President
Mahama to use better means than
Twitter/social media to reach out to the
family of the slain MP and calm nerves while
investigation into the matter is done. I
agree with Wontumi that by turning to
Twitter, President Mahama flopped. It is
unacceptable for him to go that way.
How many of the deceased MP's relatives even
use Twitter to be able to know what the
President has said in reaction to the sordid
happening? How many Ghanaians even use that
medium to condole/console the bereaved as
President Mahama has done?
Indeed, our traditions and culture have no
room for that approach. In that sense,
President Mahama failed to use the occasion
to stamp his authority as a "Father-for-all"
(re-echoing the late President Mills). It is
not customary for Ghanaians to commiserate
with each other that way. The President
failed to show warmth and must be told the
truth. Ghanaians would appreciate him better
if he had done otherwise than using social
media on this occasion.
Ghanaians are known for reacting to the
death of loved ones in a more "human" manner
than the one chosen by President Mahama. On
that score, Wontumi is right; and I strongly
agree with him.
What prevented President Mahama from
personal issuing a statement to express that
shock and to reassure everyone that the
authorities would do everything in their
power to investigate the matter and punish
the perpetrator(s)? Could he not have even
delegated some of his appointees to
immediately interact with the relatives of
the slain MP and express that shock? The
human touch/feeling is missing in the
President's choice of channel to express his
shock.
Folks, I have on many occasions condemned
the recourse to social media by President
Mahama and his government functionaries,
especially in raising issues and commenting
on matters bordering on governance. Let no
one be deceived about the hidden danger(s)
of social media and the many new-fangled
attractions that end up being traps for avid
users.
I have had the occasion to caution President
Mahama and his appointees so fixated on
Facebook and other social media as to lose
touch with their fellow human beings seeking
opportunities to physically interact with
them to share ideas on issues bordering
society.
For all that they represent, social media
can't be relied on to do political
mobilization for the President or the
government/political party. It is just a
facility to be used for purposes that aren't
all-encompassing. Anybody in government who
deceives himself/herself that using social
media and writing all kinds of stuff there
will ensure connections with people is not
fit to be in government. People cherish
physical interactions more than what is
bandied about on social media.
To cut a long story short, let me reiterate
the point that President Mahama's use of
Twitter this way is misplaced and
regrettable. Is he not in the country at the
moment to use means other than Twitter to
reach out to the bereaved family or just any
other constituency affected by this
dastardly act?
Folks, I am tempted to think that President
Mahama's recourse to Twitter/Facebook, etc.
is premised on the claim that he is a
communicator; and he relishes the fact that
he can use the media to that effect. It
doesn't help in all cases to endear him to
the hearts of the people. He shouldn't
over-rate such a facility.
Ghanaians expect him to connect with them
physically, not through social media that
can be used by "enemies of the sate" to
gather intelligence aimed at undermining
Ghana's interests!!!
I wish those fascinated about Facebook,
Twitter, and other social media (where they
hang around, saying just anything at all)
will pause to consider the fact that such
facilities have become useful goldmines for
security and intelligence establishments
seeking intelligence to perpetrate their
clandestine activities worldwide. How many
times haven't we been told that the security
system in the United States, for instance,
has asked Facebook for data on users
considered as "threats"? Or just anybody
whose presence on such social media is of
interest to them?
I will continue to sound the warning note
that President Mahama and his functionaries
should be more wary of social media as a
danger to themselves and the system they are
presiding over than as an asset to be
cherished and used indiscriminately.
Can we even pause to note that such social
media were developed by people not
interested in our African cause for whatever
we seek to progress in life? How many of us
worked with them to develop such facilities?
Why should we lose our heads, using such
facilities anyhow? And why should we turn
such social media into better modes of
dealing with our people, contrary to the
laid-down traditions and culture that guide
our existence as one people with a common
destiny?
I am disappointed at the President's use of
Twitter for this purpose on this occasion.
He has a lot to do to undo the harm done to
him by his choice of an uncommon channel to
condole/console the family of the late MP.
He has lost a good opportunity to stamp
himself on the situation politically.
The overarching question: Will he resort to
Twitter or Facebook in reacting to the death
of other prominent Ghanaians or world
leaders? If not, why not?
I shall return…
• E-mail: mjbokor@yahoo.com
• Join me on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/mjkbokor
to continue the conversation
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