Daily Graphic Is Now A Propaganda Tool For NDC Gov�t � Abu Ramadan

Director of Operations of the political pressure group, the Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG) Abu Ramadan has taken a swipe at the credibility of two state owned newspapers, the Daily Graphic and Ghanaian Times saying they are pandering to the whims and caprices of the ruling government and have taken to publishing propaganda stories. His comment is in relation to a frontpage publication by the Daily Graphic on Monday, May 23rd headlined, �Prez Mills, best leader in Africa�. The report states inter alia that the UN General Secretary Ban Ki-Moon acclaimed President John Evans Atta Mills as �the best leader on the continent�. The publication received a lot of criticisms mainly from members of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), with some positing that it was an embellishment and an attempt by the ruling government to make cheap gains out of the UN Chief�s commendation, particularly because President Mills� position during the conflict in Ivory Coast was perceived to be vacillating. Fighting broke out in Cote d�Ivoire after Mr Ouattara's predecessor Laurent Gbagbo refused to admit defeat following the presidential election in November 2010 Mr Ban Ki-moon who paid a courtesy call on President Mills on Saturday, May 21, enroute to Ivory Coast to attend the investiture of President Alassane Ouattara, basically lauded President Mills for his role in the peace process in that country and said he showed astute leadership during the Ivorian crisis. But the nation�s best-selling Newspaper, the Daily Graphic quoted the UN Boss as saying President Mills was the �the best leader on the continent�; a report which seem to have incurred the wrath of some members of the NPP. They concede that President Mills played a critical role in Mr. Alassane Ouattara�s swearing in by impressing upon that country�s Constitutional Council Chairman who was seeking refuge in Ghana, to return to Ivory Coast for the investiture. However, they argue that his role has been exaggerated. Commenting on the issue on Peace FM�s Kokrokoo Morning Show, Abu Ramadan, who is also a Youth activist of the People�s National Convention (PNC), said he is inclined now to take information churned out by the two state-owned newspapers with a pinch of salt in light of some highly propaganda stories published recently. According to him, the two national dailies have gradually become a propaganda tool for the ruling NDC government, stressing that this is not the first time the newspapers have published such tainted stories. �Daily Graphic and Ghanaian Times are national newspapers so when it comes to reliable information, we all count on them. But surprisingly, they have waded into the realm of propaganda�Now I will find it hard to believe stories published by the Daily Graphic�they have gradually become a propaganda tool for the NDC government and this is not the only time they have published such propaganda stories,� he stated. To him, all the explanations emanating from government spokespersons are absurd because if one listens carefully to the sound bite of the UN Secretary, he only praised Mills for his efforts in helping to bring peace to Cote D�ivoire, far from the propaganda reported. He pointed out Mr. Ban Ki-Moon understands what diplomacy means to the UN and will not commit himself by making such outrageous statements.