The Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has criticized the Akufo-Addo government’s rejection of most of the key recommendations of the Justice Emile Short Committee Report on the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election violence.
Mr. Mahama, speaking during a courtesy call by executives of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), said it should be of concern to all Ghanaians that government, by its actions, appears to approve of the lawless assault on innocent civilians.
“To believe that Government can say an MP deserves to be slapped because he provoked a security officer is unconscionable. I don’t know by what moral code this judgement is being made but it creates a very bad precedent for us. It means that… anybody can be brutalized by a security officer if he believes that you have provoked him… not even an MP is immune to brutality,” President Mahama lamented.
Mr. Mahama argued that the actions of government provides a sinister premonition of future attacks by government-trained thugs targeted at government’s political opponents. He said there was evidence that government is training ‘able-bodied’ civilians at a government military training facility.
“It is a worry that Ayawaso West Wuogon will be repeated on a larger scale than it did. This was only a by-election but the way things are going and from what we are hearing, it is possible that some sinister force is preparing to wreak violence during the (general) elections and this is something that we must look at.”
Executives of the GJA led by its President, Affail Monney, were at the former president’s to invite him to the Association’s 70th anniversary and GJA Awards Ceremony.
Mr. Mahama used the occasion to repeat his condemnation of the recent spate of attacks and threats on journalists and called on government to protect them so that they can freely go about their duties without any intimidation or fear.
The former President also used the opportunity to congratulate all Ghanaian journalists on the 70th anniversary, paying special tribute to former Presidents of the Association, the late Edward Ameyibor, Karbral Blay Amihere, Gifty Afenyi-Dadzie and all those who contributed to the growth of the GJA.
President Mahama also spoke about fake news, mercenary journalism, the stalled DTT roll-out, continuous training for journalists, remuneration and compensation for journalists and government’s closure of pro-opposition radio stations.
The former President urged the GJA’s leadership to strive towards improving upon remuneration for journalists, in order to ensure that they had the peace of mind to carry out their mandate.
Mr. Mahama pledged his support towards activities to mark the anniversary climax, and praised both the current and past leadership of the GJA, for steering the affairs of the Association successfully over the years.
Mr. Monney for his part said as the country approached elections 2020, leaders of political parties should urge their respective followers to be supportive of journalism, and completely desist from harassing journalists.
He said the effective dissemination of credible information was crucial to any successful election and added, that good reportage was best achieved, when journalists were well supported to do their job.
The GJA President reminded journalists that they had the responsibility of informing fairly, without allowing their own biases to interfere with their reports.
He urged journalists to strive and maintain a high level of professional integrity, in order to earn the trust and good-will of the public.
Mr. Monney urged Corporate Ghana, Political Parties, organisations and individuals to endeavour to support activities marking the 70th anniversary of the GJA.
The GJA anniversary awards comes off at the kempinsky Gold Coast Hotel on November 23, 2019.
Compiled by Ruth Abla Adjorlolo
