Deaf Today: Deaf Society Slams Tony Aidoo

March 5, 2004

Deaf Society Slams Tony Aidoo

From: GhanaWeb - Accra,Ghana - Mar 5, 2004

The National Secretary of the Ghana National Association of the Deaf (GNAD), Mahama Johnsen, has expressed disgust at Tony Aidoo for describing President Kufour as "dumb".

"This description is very offensive, especially coming from a former Deputy Minister of State," he bitterly complained to The Statesman in an interview in Accra on Thursday, where the questions and answers were written down. He was of the view that to be deaf and dumb is an unfortunate handicap which should not be used as a reference point for mockery – not even on a political platform.

Tony Aidoo's public description of the President as dumb in twi ('mumu') on Tuesday was widely covered by the media on Thursday.

Indeed, so much so that it diverted attention from his party leader's speech on the same day. This is said to have disgusted Prof Mills so much that the NDC called an emergency meeting on Thursday. The party appeared to have been, however 'saved' by Information Minister, Nana Akomea who brought the issue back up with his press conference on Thursday in reaction to the Tuesday speech.

But, Tony Aidoo's apparent insult to the physically challenged members of society has not gone down well with those this paper interviewed.

But, Tony Aidoo who was interviewed on Tema's Adom fm on Thursday went further to maintain that President Kufour doesn't speak good English. "His language is (sic) colloquial," he said. He went on to say "I said Prof Mills is not a dumb."