Ras Mubarak Attacks The Herald Newspaper

The 2012 Parliamentary candidate for Ablekuma North of the NDC, Ras Mubarak has launched a corrosive attack on the Herald newspaper, a pro-NDC news outlet, for publishing disparaging reports about him. The NDC guru who was obviously unhappy with the media reports, revealing that he had expressed an unrelenting desire to quit politics and pursue other dreams, doubted the integrity of the paper asking who the paper is indeed working for? He was of the view that the reports had been skewed to paint him black when comments he made on his facebook wall, a social media platform, on Saturday, March 30, 2013 that he is �leaving front-line politics. Spending more time with family and focusing on academics. Always been my dream to be a University Lecturer. This is the time to build myself up for that� were not intended to create any mischief. He therefore wondered why an NDC print media would seek to put out mischief, with the intention of mocking him. The Herald newspaper in its Friday edition published some facts about the NDC defeated Parliamentary candidate, disclosing his ingratitude to the Ghanaian political terrain. According to Herald, Ras Mubarak had "launched an ill-motivated attack on this newspaper over last Wednesday�s publication centered on his announcement on his Facebook wall, calling the publication mischievous and a joke meant to incite hatred against his person� and so, sought to set the record straight. In the publication, Ras was quoted to have resorted to damage control when his first comments on the social media attracted several people who mocked him for supposedly chickening out of the political contest. "On Sunday 31, 2013 a day after he posted his decision to quit politics, he explained to his opponents who made mockery of his decision, saying �Let me see if I can help some of our friends who have difficulty understanding simple Language. 1. You don�t have to be on Radio or Tv to be an NDC member. You don�t have to be loud to be noticed. �There millions of NDC sympathizers and members who are doing their thing on the quiet. It�s important to get that right. 2. Politics to me is a sport. If you play football and you are tired you rest. 3. Like Nana Agyeman aptly mentioned, since when did it become a crime to leave front-line politics for the pursuit of other ambitions?" the paper quoted. It further explained that "While wanting to vie for the Ablekuma North Parliamentary seat, Ras Mubarak quietly sneaked to the Castle-Osu where he virtually kneeled before President Mills, and apologized for the insults that he had in the past rained on him whiles with the Rawlings� family. �Ras Mubarak, said to be a product of Kumasi-based �Institute of Business Management and Journalism� has a history of practicing politics of convenience after abandoning his reggae show on Ghana Television (GTV), shaving off his dreadlocks and venturing into politics. He played the role of a member of the committee that organized the burial of the late President Mills. Later he was accused of �chopping� some of the funeral donations," it added. But Ras believes the Herald is doing the bidding of an undisclosed politician and so, expressed shock asking why a pro-NDC print media would single him out for shame when it should be educating the public on the numerous interventions the Mahama administration has made to salvage the economy. �I�m surprised because I hear the paper is a pro-NDC. Now, if it is a pro-NDC paper, you ask yourself whether it is doing the NDC any good by these kinds of mischievous publications. There are several issues of interest to Ghanaians, President Mahama is doing so many good things that the people have to know about and if a paper claims to be supportive of our government, and is doing this; clearly there�s a disconnect.� Speaking to Radio Gold on Friday, he strongly warned the media organization to �back off if they want the interest of the NDC. This is not how to pursue the interest of the NDC,� stressing that he is �not a quitter. I have never said anywhere that I was quitting politics�I am absolutely committed to the NDC and remain a �John Mahama� loyalist. I don�t know what problem is this particular newspaper and the Editor. But clearly, you can see an agenda; clearly, they are doing somebody�s bidding.�