Election2000: VP Will Not Participate in Forum

ACCRA, September 27 -- Ghana’s Vice President Professor John Evans Atta Mills, would not participate in a presidential forum, scheduled for today Wednesday, September 27 as part of an African Media Forum on "Press, Power and Politic" organised by the Freedom Forum.

Mr. John Mahama, Minister of Communications, in a statement in Accra on Monday described the forum as an "unnecessary involvement and interference of foreign individuals and organisations in the nation's electioneering process".

The statement said the Ministry of Communications had expressed its objection to the forum at a meeting with Ms Jerri Eddings of the Freedom Forum. At the meeting it was stated that Ghana did not require any foreign organisation or individuals to organise public interactions with presidential flagbearers, since the country has local institutions and organisations with the capacity to do so.

It said the Minister was given the assurance that Freedom Forum was going to concentrate on workshop on free expression and media, for which the organisation was to give technical and financial assistance to the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC).

The Ministry noted that it appears Freedom Forum has reneged on the arrangement and is proceeding with its programme. It pointed out that the Vice President, who is the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has no objection in facing the media or the public to outline his programme adding that, he would hold a major conference in the first week of October.

Prof. Atta Mills would also interact with the media, hold interviews and take part in television and radio programmes when convenient. Mr Mahama said it might be possible for the presidential candidates of other parties to make themselves freely available to honour invitations from the media since they are engaged in campaigning full time.

The Vice President, however, has to divide his time between his duties, acting in the absence of the President, and interacting with the electorate at the grassroots where elections are either won or lost, the statement added.

As part of the African Media Forum on Press, Power and Politics, the Freedom Forum of the United States in collaboration with the Ghana Journalists Association, would hold a forum for the presidential candidates in the December election to meet both the local and international media.