An aide to President J.E.A. Mills, Nii Lantey Vanderpuije, is appealing to the media to exercise circumspection in its reportage of Chelsea midfield ace Michael Essien and his strained relationship with his father. According to Nii Lantey, the media should sometimes weigh the social consequences of their reports in order not to compound existing problems. He was speaking on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana programme Monday when he noted that recent reports on Essien’s alleged neglect of his father could further aggravate the already damaged relationship between the two. Michael Essien denied the allegations in a statement last week, threatening legal action against media houses that insisted on tarnishing his image. Nii Lantey was reacting to statements by, Sports Minister Ekua Sena Dansua, who was urging the media to cease publishing such stories about the Black Stars player since it could affect his performance and that of the Ghanaian team in the up-coming World Cup. Nii Lantey advised Essien’s father to stop granting interviews to the media and seek help from family elders who through dialogue, could resolve whatever problem he has with his son. He also urged parents, especially fathers, to look after their children and for mothers, to stop brainwashing their children when there are disagreements in the family. By: Dorcas Efe Mensah/myjoyonline.com/Ghana