<<Print>>

Talk of political desperation and last week�s manipulation of former President Jerry John Rawlings� remark about corruption in the NDC government presents perfect symptoms. The propagandists, in full flight hatchet et al, picked a segment of the remarks and splashed it on the pages of newspapers they have a hold on. �Rawlings Endorses Mahama� was the banner headline, and it prompted the intervention of former President Rawlings�s spokesperson who removed the dust from the eyes of the gullible. This, against the backdrop of an allegation of generous handshakes to some media personalities, suggests an undisputable and flagrant violation of the ethics of the noble profession of journalism. The public has begun reviewing its impressions about some media practitioners and even newspapers and radio stations as a result of this ethical breach. There is actually nothing wrong with a citizen, especially a former president, endorsing a candidate; but when the remark is tendentiously taken out of context for political expediency, then there is an ethical breach. For those who are worried about the moral decadence of the machinery of state, the most salient segment of the former President�s remarks was his reference to a deepening incidence of corruption, alongside the ripping of the state by a few people, perhaps the greedy bastards. Even his tone, when he posted the abrasive remarks, said it all with regard to how he felt about the all-pervasiveness of corruption in the current government. Former President Rawlings is just not being mischievous, but pouring out his observations, which points are already being made by others on the political space. We have had a feel of the repercussions of propaganda from the corridors of power before, and expect that those engaging in the sickening spinning of issues would have learnt their lessons by now. Memories of how the ailment of the former President was spun till the man died under questionable circumstances, are still fresh. The country has reached a serious milestone as observed by the former President- a fact which lies in how this segment of his remarks was confined to the backburner in place of an endorsement that never was. The restoration of the lost integrity at the presidency as observed by the former president remains outstanding and with the propaganda machinery still in overdrive mode, ready to veneer corruption in government, the status quo will continue to be a feature of the NDC government, unfortunately. There is no appetite for the reversal of the status quo and so former President Rawlings will scream his voice hoarse. As for the citizens, they will wait for nature to take its course as it has always done under such circumstances. God save Ghana.