Palmer Buckle blasts Mills’ critics

The Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra, Charles Palmer-Buckle, wants people to stop stampeding the president into 'action' The Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra, Charles Palmer-Buckle, has slammed critics of President John Evans Atta Mills, asking them to back off and give him space to rule. Most Rev. Palmer-Buckle in an interview with Joy News’ Evans Mensah was critical of members of the ruling party, especially former president Rawlings, for their needless onslaught on the government for its perceived lackadaisical attitude towards prosecuting former government officials. He said the clamour by members of the National Democratic Congress, and public protest over Prof. Mills’ style of governance amount to “noise making”. “I wish people will respect Atta Mills for saying that he wants to prosecute the governance of this country according to the rule of law. “And so if the president of the country, the chief executive himself, says he wants to do things according to the rule of law, who are we to come asking him to hurry up or to prosecute A or B.” Archbishop Palmer-Buckle noted that the responsibility of prosecuting or not lies within the powers of the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General, and asked that those in charge are given a breathing space to execute their duty responsibly. He condemned what he described as “too much ill will, ill wishing, bad will in the country”, which do not augur well for a fragile democratic state like Ghana. “I respect my president very much. Ghanaians voted him into power, he is the president of the land and therefore I will give him the benefit of the doubt at any given time,” he assured. He asked Ghanaians to be more focused on issues emanating from the presidency, the executive, parliament and the judiciary with little or no interest in “voices outside”. Archbishop Palmer-Buckle “disagreed totally and entirely” that there is disquiet in the country because people are feeling a sort of disaffection and are more impoverished by the prevailing conditions in the country, saying people "are making too much noise”. “I will only like to say that people forget that he has inherited a country that has had about 20 years of undemocratic rule.” Story by Isaac Essel/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana