Ivorian Editor Denies Accusing President Mills

The Editor of the Patriote newspaper of Ivory Coast, Charles Sanga, has denied reports he published a damning story about President Atta Mills. His paper is alleged to have claimed that President Mills is hosting Ivorian rebels who are plotting to overthrow new Ivorian president Alassane Ouattara. The stories were carried by the New Statesman and the Crusading Guide newspapers which also describe Mr. Sanga as a confidant of Mr. Ouattara. Deputy Minister of Information, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa however denied the allegations insisting that no government official of the Ouattara administration had expressed such fears. Meanwhile when Joy News contacted Charles Sanga, he said his story had been taken out of context. He said the story was intended to draw the attention of the government of Ghana to the suspicious meetings being organised by some dissidents and officials of the Ivory Coast Embassy in Accra. He said the fact that a former military adviser to Laurent Gbagbo recently placed a call from Ghana to encourage supporters of the ousted Ivorian leader to be steadfast in their beliefs and fight for the course points to their suspicions that some Gbagbo loyalists are plotting against the Ouattara government from Ghana. Mr. Sanga indicated that he only cautioned president Mills to be wary of the presence of these dissidents in his country.