Okudzeto-Ablakwa: Red alert is to protect Ghanaians from war-mongers

The Deputy Minister of Information, Samuel Okudjeto-Ablakwa has explained that the Security red alert issued by the President in his State of the Nation address to Pprliament last Thursday, is to assure the public of government's resolve to provide full protection from any individual or group of persons who would like to jeopardize the security of the state.

Mr. Okudzeto-Ablakwa said the President had nothing to hide when he made those statements but to re-affirm his commitment to protect the citizens of the country.

Speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem on Tuesday, the Deputy Minister emphasized that the security agencies have been empowered to arrest anybody who threatens the security of the entire nation by whatever means.

According to him, even though some reasonable persons within the NPP are reported to have advised Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to withdraw his “all die be die” comment and apologize to the nation, he has refused to do so.

“The whole matter of ‘all die be die’ would have died if Nana Addo had apologized” he stressed.

Mr. Ablakwa told host of Dwaso Nsem Adakabre Frimpong Manso that the Communications Director of Nana Addo’s 2008 campaign team, Dr. Kobina Arthur Kennedy is reported to have advised Nana Addo in a newspaper article, to apologize for igniting the youth but the flagbearer is yet to do so.

“Those who fail to understand the President’s statement on Red Alert are definitely those who are jeopardizing the security of the nation”.

“Politicians should be mindful of what they say because honestly most Ghanaians feel unsafe ahead of the elections”, the Deputy Information Minister emphasized.

Meanwhile, the 2008 Communications Director of Nana Addo’s Campaign team, Dr. Kobina Arthur Kennedy has denied ever calling on Nana Addo to apologize.

Dr. Arthur Kennedy explained that what he said in the said article which was published in the Ghanaian Chronicle and Daily Guide newspapers titled “Hypocrisy in politics”, was to urge Nana Akuffo-Addo to come out and explain vividly what he meant by the “all die be die” comment, which he did in his press conference in Ho on Monday.

Arthur Kennedy stressed that the President failed to exhibit good leadership by putting the security on red alert.



Story by Samuel Mantey/Adom News

Linguistic Expert: Non documented languages will soon fade out

The Head of Linguistics at the University of Ghana Legon, Prof. Kofi Agyekum says the non documented Ghanaian languages are on the verge of fading out, if proper measures are not taken to preserve and promote them.

The United Nations has estimated that about half of the world’s 6,000 languages are endangered and might fade out.

But Prof. Agyakum, popularly known as “Opanyin Agyakum” says out of the 45 of the about 200 languages in Ghana documented, only 11 are taught in the classroom.

He therefore warned that many languages in the country may soon collapse.

Opanyin Agyekum in an interview on Adom News suggested that the educational system should be reviewed, to make way for the compulsory teaching of local languages at the Senior High Schools.

He said “it is virtually nonsense” for the education system to require a pass in English as a basis in entering the tertiary level.

He tasked the media, especially radio stations to have a special bulletin for local language.

The Linguistics Expert says Ghanaians should be proud of their language and encourage their children to study their mother tongues.

Meanwhile the Kontihene of Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo Region, Nana Boamponsem admits that the “Bono” language may soon fade out because the Chiefs do not speak the language.

He says most people are not proud of their language hence very soon the language will collapse.



Story by Samuel Mantey/Adom News