Have you lost your mind? D.S. Mahamah

No, Mr. D.S. Mahamah, we have not lost our minds. You it seems are refusing to find yours. It is the smugness and complacency of your types that is the bane of Africa's security. I bet you have not read the full text of the Reuters report we picked our story from, and if you have, but are failing to see the dangers, then God must indeed help us!
A. Harruna Attah

Thank you Mr. Harrunah Atta.

I prefer to err on the side of "smugness and complacency" than publish information that turns out untrue or defamatory. Thank you.

D. S. Mahamah

Dear Mr. Mahamah,
Thank you too, but I equally prefer to err on the side of my country's stability than hide behind a false sense of security when my country is clearly under threat. I bet you still have not read the Reuters report we based our story on. If you had, you would not have written that we have published "information that turns out untrue and defamatory." By the way, why do we sound alarms? I don't know about you, but for me, it is so that my worst fears would not materialise...A coup is not something I cherish or hope for...

Dear Harruna
I just wish you were aware of the sources of reports by news wires such as Reuters. I read your piece. I don't read Reuters or GNA. And unlike you I do not believe everything I read. For your information Ghana is my country too. Lest we forget that not so long ago your paper was involved in a quagmire regarding unsubstantiated sources critical of Rawlings. What you have done with your coup alert is a win-win for you. If no coup takes place, and I do believe yours is a case of crying "wolf", you take credit for averting one. Remember your pet NPP's cry of coup a few months ago? I wonder what your editorial said about that false alarm. Rawlings is despicable in my view, but your contribution to the discourse is equally despicable.

In any case it is in your interest as a publisher to show some fairness and balance. After all no government is permanent, not even the NDC government.

Even the much dreaded Chronicle is becoming less sensational and balanced. You can too.

Shaibu Mahamah

Dear Mr. Mahamah,
Reuters based their story on an interview given them by Rawlings himself. I did not make it up. You may disagree with my interpretations, but by God Almighty, I still stand by those interpretations.

Look, you may choose to believe my interpreytations or not, but they are NOT "despicable". If only former Prime Minister Busia and former President Limann had taken the security of the realm as seriously as Rawlings (Yes!) did in his 19 long years, the history of Ghana would have certainly been different. I do not know the quagmire you are talking about but if you can refresh my mind, I will perhaps be able to explain myself.

My pet NPP? Thank God you have at least given me an insight into where your bias lies politically. At least I am honest enough to make it publicly known that I am an NPP voter and so would do what to my conscience is right to uphold what the party says it stands for, which are the values of liberal democracy.

What false alarm? In protecting the realm, all intelligence leads - even rumours -would have to be looked at dispassionately. If they turn out to be false alarms, all the better. Remember, for me it is better to err on the part of national security than be cocky and allow the nation to be overrun by adventurers. Go tell the Americans that you have a lead on Osama bin Laden and see if they would not take you serious, but they have had many false alarms since they started their war on terror...

Fairness and balance? Tell me of one news medium which is fair and balanced and I will show you two people with the same fingerprint! Let me make myself very clear: my fairness and balance lie within the context of my beliefs and predilections. Simple. I see no reason why I can be "fair and balanced" on issues and matters of conscience. I cannot be fair and balanced towards Nazis, Apartheid, many aspects of (P)NDC, etc...So you take me or leave me! I'm sure it would be the latter!

Cheers
A. Harruna Attah