President fully prepared for tough questions - Perry Okudzeto

Sheik Mustapha Hamid said the encounter with the press is not for self glorification

Deputy Minister for Information, Perry Okudzeto has disclosed that there are no specific questions put down for the press to ask President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in his maiden media encounter with them at the Flagstaff House.

He disclosed that nonetheless, the President is fully prepared to give answers relating to his 6-months in office as the Commander-In-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces.

“We do not have specific questions for journalists to ask the President. We do not even know the questions they are going to ask but I can assure you that he is well prepared to answer questions from the about 40 editors who will be attending today’s event at the Flagstaff House”, he disclosed on Accra-based Okay Fm.

According to him, the questions from members of the inky fraternity will help deepen the country’s democracy as it paves the way for the fourth estate of the realm to interrogate the president on issues bothering the country based on the feedback from their audience or readers.

“If we wanted an ordinary press conference, we could have easily used the press corps at the presidency for that but that is not the import of today’s event. As I told you, he is more than prepared to face the media an answer all the tough questions bothering them”, he added.

Meanwhile, Information Minister Sheik Mustapha Hamid , has said the encounter with the press is not for self glorification

Giving details of how the event will happen, he said “the president will make a few remarks, as a way of accounting to the people and open himself up for questions from the journalists”, he revealed.

“This press conference by the president is in line with his pledge when he took over office to be accountable, open and accessible to the Ghanaian people.

“He thinks this accountability and interaction with the Ghanaian people is a democratic requirement that as a democratic president, once a while you come back to the people and tell them what it you are doing with the mandate,” Mr. Hamid said.