Chairman of the National Media Commission (NMC), Yaw Boadu Ayeboafoh has urged Parliament and the Media to understand their unique critical roles in advancing national growth and work in a mutually cooperative manner in the interest of citizens.
He described the Speaker’s statement as an “unfortunate development”, which could have been avoided.
Speaking in an interview with the GNA over the incident, the NMC Chairman, said it is wrong for the media to leave the Chamber while members of the house debated the President’s Message on the State of the Nation.
He, however, said if the media had done anything wrong, it is not the place of the Speaker to issue a threat, but rather engage the media in a respectful manner to explain issues for them to understand.
Mr. Ayeboafoh indicated that, in as much as Parliament has the authority and power to dismiss people from the Chamber, both Parliament and citizens would lose out when journalists are not present to cover proceedings.
He said the Constitution recognises the roles of the two, and no institution should deprive journalists of their discretionary right of what to cover or publish.
