The Member of Parliament for Akwatia, Bernard Bediako Baidoo, has criticised the Daily Guide over what he describes as a misrepresentation of comments made by President John Dramani Mahama regarding the government’s Big Push programme.
Speaking on Accra-based UTV, Bernard Baidoo expressed disappointment that a national newspaper would publish a headline suggesting the President said the programme would benefit “side chicks,” insisting that such a claim distorts the actual message.
According to him, the President’s remarks focused on the economic impact of paying contractors under the Big Push initiative. Mahama used examples to illustrate how money, once paid to contractors, circulates through the economy, benefiting families, churches, businesses, and other sectors.
He clarified that the mention of “side chicks” was only part of a broader illustration of economic circulation and not the focus of the President’s statement.
Bernard Bediako Baidoo also noted that the President spoke about how contractors, when paid, could invest in assets such as vehicles, which in turn benefits car dealers and other sectors of the economy.
“The President never said the Big Push would benefit ‘side chicks’; he was explaining how paying contractors will circulate money across the economy,” he said.
He questioned the editorial judgment behind the publication, stating that the essence of the President’s message was about the importance of paying contractors to stimulate economic activity, not the sensational angle highlighted.
He added that he expected the Daily Guide to focus on the substance of the message rather than what he described as a misleading and unfortunate headline.
