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A member of the Government�s Communication Team, Alhaji Mohammed Naziru, has dismissed assertions that the Public Forum organized by Government to mark President John Dramani Mahama�s First Year in office was merely a Public Relations gimmick. According to him, the Public Forum held on Monday differs in form and substance from former President John Agyekum Kufour�s �Meet The Press� which he claims barred the public from asking certain relevant questions. As part of moves to make his administration more open to constructive criticisms, President Mahama has resorted to the strategy of interaction and media foras. But some in the opposition are of the view that these Public foras will not yield any result. To them, it is rather a praise-singing exercise to brainwashed Ghanaians of his (Mahama�s) nonperforming government. Policy Analyst of the People�s National Convention (PNC) pontificated on PeaceFM�s �Kokrokoo� program on Monday that there was no need for the current administration to blow its horn. Atik Mohammed believes whether or not they (NDC) have achieved anything is for Ghanaians to tell. But reacting to the criticism, the NDC activist opined that the forum for interaction under President Kuffour-led administration was one set-up to praise-sing the achievements of that administration. ��..but under President Mahama, every issue raised, be it GYEEDA, SADA, SUBAH and Isofoton has been discussed and Ghanaians are exposed to the information�.no issue has been pushed under the carpet unlike Kufuor�s regime which hid every wrong doing in the name of protecting the party and his government,� he noted. Meanwhile, the first of media encounters with President Mahama, to mark his (Mahama�s) one year in office aimed at deepening transparency and accountability in his government, has ended quite eventfully, with the president responding to some topical issues in the country. President Mahama, after the encounter, admitted that the engagement with journalist was tough, and commended the media for justifying the confidence of Ghanaians reposed in them. ���..this is thorough interrogation and I must say that you have justified the confidence of Ghanaians in asking all the burning questions that have been on the minds of Ghanaians�, President Mahama admitted.