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Attacks on Journalists

 

COMMENTARY ON CONDEMNING ATTACKS ON JOURNALISTS IN THE COURSE OF THEIR WORK.

If lots were cast today for the most admired journalist in Ghana, it will surely fall on Ace investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas. This is because Anas succeeded in carrying out his duties without any physical attack. It is possible that the very people who praise Anas today would have been the very first to condemn and call for his head if he had been arrested, attacked or harmed in the course of his duties. Like the Biblical Pharisees, the truth about Ghanaians is that, they will praise you if you win and betray you if you are handicapped. Thank God Anas is safe.

Article 162 Clause 4 of the 1992 constitution states that editors and publishers of newspapers and other institutions of the Mass Media shall not be subject to control or interference by government nor shall they be penalized or harassed for their editorial opinions and views for the content of their publication.

Whilst Ghanaian journalists can freely work without fear of governmental interference and harassments, the same cannot be said of individuals and security agencies. Attacks on journalists in the course of their work are not new at least, to people in the inky fraternity. It is not true that attacks on journalists prevailed only in the era of military rule. Journalists have been attacked even under democratically elected Presidents in Ghana.

Not too long ago, some journalists were attacked, vilified and abused by security men of former President Kufour at his Private residence in Accra. After that incident, a camera man of the state television, GTV, was assaulted in Accra in the course of duty. Before condemnations of that attack could end, another journalist with the State Radio, Radio Ghana, was attacked by uniformed Policemen in Tamale during the district level elections. As if there was a perpetual attempt to frustrate journalists, another group of Policemen on February 8, 2011 attacked and assaulted a reporter and a cameraman of TV3 at Ofankor in Accra when they were lawfully carrying out their duties.

The list is endless. Nobody doubts the crucial role journalists have played in bringing Ghana this far. The sad aspect of the story is that these journalists were attacked whilst trying to expose some wrongs in society in accordance with the laws of Ghana. The GBC and TV3 journalists in particular acted in line with Article 12 section one of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Code of Ethics which states that, a journalist shall obtain information, photographs and illustrations only by straightforward means. Besides, section two of Article 12 of the same GJA Code of Ethics says that, the use of other means can be justified only by overriding considerations of the public interest.

The attacks on these journalists are therefore unjustified, barbaric and must be condemned in no certain terms. In fact they must not be allowed to continue in Ghana where the doors of justice are open. It is high time the Ghana Journalists Association started biting after years of barking. If lawyers jumped in to defend Amina accused of causing fear & panic over the mass sex allegation why can’t the same be extended to journalists? What is our priority as a nation? Has the National Media Commission forgotten that it has a mandate under Article 167(a) of the 1992 constitution to promote and ensure the freedom and independence of the media for mass communication? How long will the Police Administration continue to allow a few irresponsible policemen to continue to frustrate journalists?

Maybe the time has come for media owners to start taking legal action against people who attack their workers after all, it is not wrong for the mountain to go to Mohamed if Mohammed fails to go to the mountain. Enemies of journalists should bear in mind that a war against media practitioners is tantamount to fetching water with a basket. In fact no weapon fashioned against journalists shall prosper here in Ghana.

Yesterday it was GBC, today it is TV3, tomorrow it could be another, so let us all help protect our journalists.

BY: GEORGE ASEKERE OF GBC RADIO NEWS, ACCRA.

Comments

nmc performance

Performance of NMC

COMMENTARY ON THE PERFORMANCE OF THE NATIONAL MEDIA COMMISSION (NMC).

One unhealthy phenomenon that has gained notoriety in the Ghanaian media is the shameful display and publication of pornographic material. Another is the deliberate publication of lies, insinuations and unlawful attacks on personalities intended to tarnish their image. It is sad to see a newspaper headline that reads: ‘How to seduce a woman’. Aside from this, all manner of unprintable words are used to attack, malign and vilify high profile personalities in Ghana right from the presidency to the Clergy. These publications are available on news stands for all, including school pupils to read without regard for morality and the potential harm they could cause children and the entire society.

The principles of media freedom are crucial to the development of a free and just society and those principles are not and must not be negotiable. Unfortunately some enemies of decency in the media have taken undue advantage of this freedom to demonize almost every public figure. Some journalists are prepared to sacrifice intellectual honesty and moral integrity for political mediocrity. The framers of the 1992 Constitution perhaps envisaged this and thus made a provision in Chapter Twelve of the Constitution for a regulatory body which led to the establishment of the National Media Commission in July 1993 following the passage of Act 449.

The NMC has an objective to ensure the freedom and independence of the Media for mass communication or information. The Commission also has a constitutional mandate to take all appropriate measures to ensure the highest journalistic standards in the mass media including investigation, mediation and settlement of complaints made against or by the press or other mass media. The question is: has the NMC lived up to expectation?

Without an apology, fear or favor the answer is a big no. In Africa, the dog is expected to bow in shame when the goat chases away a thief. This is how one expected the National Media Commission to do when a couple of years back, the Methodist Church took it upon itself to initiate legal action against newspapers that publish pornographic material. Whilst the NMC must shoulder the blame for the insanity in the media, it is only fair to ask why they have performed so abysmally over the years.

It is said that unto whom much is given much is expected. So the question is how much has the State given the NMC to enable it to perform its function effectively? According to the Chairman of the NMC, Kabral Blay Amihere, the Commission receives only one hundred thousand Ghana Cedi (GH100, 000) annually from government for its activities including salaries of its workers. The Commission currently has 22 workers out of which only four are core staff. The NMC issues about 100 certificates every two months for media establishments across the country. The four core workers of the commission are expected to monitor everything in the over two thousand (2,000) media houses in the country including the over 200 FM stations and 10 television Stations with twenty five channels.

Unlike media houses such as the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) and Graphic Communications Group Limited, the building of the National Media Commission is nothing good to send a visitor to. This perhaps explains why people would hardly visit the NMC on excursion. Despite these challenges, the NMC could have still done better. A critical look at the personalities who constitute the National Media Commission raises serious question marks as to why these tried and tested individuals will complain of darkness instead of lighting a candle. Better still, how useful will it be for a man to worry and do virtually nothing about a terrible dream he had the previous night?

Apart from the government, it is common knowledge that the commission receives financial assistance from the UNDP, the German Development Service and others including the Frederic Ebert Foundation. Is the Commission telling Ghanaians that all things being equal, the insanity in the media will continue unabated in the name of resource constraints?

Whilst calling on government to equip the National Media Commission to enable it to discharge its constitutionally mandated duties effectively, the NMC must initiate actions to convince Ghanaians that it has what it takes to rid the Ghanaian Media of insanity.

Journalists who have become foot soldiers, remote controlled doomsayers and bootlickers for politicians and political parties ought to know that, their actions, are equal to biting their own tongues and must be told in clear terms that they are eating the wrong meat.

A word to the wise remains enough.

BY: GEORGE ASEKERE OF GBC, RADIO NEWSROOM

PERSPECTIVES

PERSPECTIVES

I have long wondered the truth or otherwise of the statement-The voice of the people is the voice of God. In any case man was created-at least from the Christian perspective-in the nature of God so may be the voice of the people when equated to the voice of God or even resemblance of His voice may not be out of place. Yes we were created in His image and tasked to act according to his principles, but do our voices truly reflect that of God? I reflect with shock, the incident recorded in the book of Daniel chapter six where some people wrongfully but deliberately accused Daniel to King Darius and succeeded in getting Daniel thrown into the lion’s den. Make no mistake; the God of Daniel rescued him. What will have been your own comment if you lived in the town where Portipha’s wife accused Joseph with convincing evidence of attempted rape on her? Surely the fact is not always the truth. Better still have you ever been falsefully accused before?Whatever your experience,never disregard the adage that the person who wears the shoes feels how it pinches.Nevger act in the name of pleasing the masses at the expense of your senses.Let me share a divine experience Ihad on the 28^th of August this year.But first waite a minute.I have been picking trotro from the Labadi to the University of Ghana-legon. I noticed that most of the vehicles take more than the required number of passengers.The first time I tried to tell the driver to do the right thing, I had a shock of my life with the response that followed.From the drivers mounth,if you cant bear with us get down.Inoticed other passengers were prepared to juntr into the car if I dared got down.,.I insisted oin my right,the ladies in the car as if an arranged thing collective said ah you too,be a gentleman.Gentleman,may be I have to look up the dictionary for that word again as a good student. I was ythe lone voice that day and only God knows what they said in Ga throught the journey..On the 28^th,I decided to bord another trortro to legon from the same station.This time I was poised to be a man and act as such line with how my peers trained me in the village- hit back and do it harder anytime you are hit.Before I left the house, I prayed-Lord give the courage to insult back if they insult me for saying the right thing. What if they are older people?my culture will not permit me to say anything for the child is to be seen and not head.I thought of another strategy-many of killing a cat.I decided to go for a lawyer so I could be bold.I took enough glasses fo red wine and toped it up with whisky and palmwine.Boy I feel I was  rulling the world. I joined the trotro and sat right infront of the driver  with a gum as if I was over fixated at the oral stage as postulate by the neurologist turned psychologist-Sidmund Freud. Lucky on my part the mate add additional two passengers.I said wow, no financial loss for buying the drinlk.Bold as I wads I told the driver masa, the car is full and you adding two people,what happens in the event of an accident. There I noticed the insurance on the wind screen had expired. I said,dear passengers the driver is putting our lives at risk.To my astonishment –I heard beyifo-wizard,nothing will happen, one pointed at  the big cross on my neck and said some you Christians are devils. Aye ka, I said with a broad smile.Two said,leave that guy alone, we dought if he is not touching. As if that was not enough the driverwas over speeding but I was under the influence of alcohol so to be sure other force did not make it seem to me the car was over speededing, I turned and said don’t you thing the driver is speeding too much.That one did not go down well with them so I had no option than to shut up.Within the wtinkle of an eye the brakes failed and the vehicle run into two elctrity poll broke them run into a gutter sausaulted until it hit a nearby  building.All of us remended Jesus. Only God saved me as the driver tried to give myside to the pool.My side damaged more than any other part of the vehicle yet I was the only one who was not rushed to the 37 military hospital-For me it was the Grace not my deeds. On the serious note I could have died-just like that.Im going to legon and come . It could happen to you.Soi let us insist on doing the right thing for right is right even if all are against it.We should also remember to be humble since we can just leave this place anytime it pleases God.Vanity of vanity  is all vanity ans the book of Excllessiats states.For perspectives Im George Asekere reporting.

NKRUMAH OVERTHROW

 24-02-11                               NEWS COMMENTARY

ANN: Today marks the 46^th Anniversary of the overthrow of

          Ghana’s first president Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.

          In news commentary George Asekere of GBC-Radio

          Newsroom in Accra examines the rise and fall of Dr.

         Nkrumah. His script is read by…….

        LIB: FILE: COMMENTARY   DUR(  )

        CUE IN

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ANN: Commentary examined the rise and fall of Dr. Kwame

            Nkrumah as CPP marks the 46^th Anniversary of his

           Overthrow. The script was written by George Asekere

             Of GBC-Radio newsroom in Accra and read by…..

To many Ghanaians February 1966 will forever remain one of the darkest days in the history of Ghana. It was on this fateful day that one of the Greatest Pan-Africanist and Ghana’s most revolutionary leader Dr.Kwame Nkrumah was over thrown in a coup de’tat led by Emmanuel Kotoko whilst on a state visit to North Vietnam and China. It is true that the overthrow of Nkrumah sent shocking waves across the globe perhaps due to his enviable charismatic leadership style and his preparedness to have a united state of Africa at all cost. On the contrary, many Ghanaians rejoiced, called him names and even wished him dead following his fall confirming the claim that a prophet is not recognized in his own home. Of course no body doubts the achievements of Dr.Nkrumah and no political leader has since his overthrow been able to attempt a half of what Dr. Nkrumah did. The Akosombo dam, the University of Science and Technology, the Tema Harbour, Industries, as well as health facilities and road constructions are just a few of what he did. 46 years after his fall Ghana still parades herself over the things that Nkrumah did and they represent the pillars of our economy. Yes the good works of Ghana’s first president have been written with an indelible ink and cannot be wiped but what we seems to have forgotten is the fact that people everywhere in the world are more comfortable when they have freedom and not necessary a boost in infrastructural development else the people of Iraq would not have bothered about the regime of former president Saddam Hussein. In this direction it is only fair to tell the story on the other side of Nkrumah in order to minimize the rate of demonizing those who overthrew him. For instance Dr.Nkrumah enacted a legislation in 1958 which restricted various freedoms in Ghana. After leading strikes himself, Nkrumah hypocritically introduced the Trade Unions Act which made strikes illegal upon becoming president. He used his Preventive Detention Act to cause the arrest and detention of his political opponents without due process of law in the judiciary system. In fact the only true legal recourse at the time was personal appeal to Nkrumah.  To make matters worse, President Nkrumah in 1964 proposed a constitutional amendment making the CPP the only Party and himself a life president. This eventually transformed his presidency into a de facto legal dictatorship. Franking speaking events prior to Nkrumah’s overthrow could only be liked to the present state of Muhma Gadarfi’s leadership in Libya. At the zenith of his power president Nkrumah warned against the use of the title president by any other person apart from himself. He loved Education and yet his regime is credited with the most political affront on intellectual freedom in this country. He imposed his ideas as a course of study at the University of Ghana and virtually remote controlled the vice-chancellor. Power they say corrupts and this is exactly what happened to President Nkrumah. His overthrow was therefore justifiable. Admittedly, Dr. Nkrumah did far better than all the so called liberators, redeemers, revolutionaries as well as the all the democratically elected leaders in post independent Ghana. Nkrumah is dead and it is the prayer of all that God keeps him in his bosom. Long leave his great ideas, long leave Ghana.

GIA

GCB

17-02-11                                                                                                                                      SERVING US BETTER

ANN: Serives provided by the Ghana Commercial Bank to its

          Costumers in Ghana is the subject of news commentary

         Today. The author is George Asekere of GBC, Radio News

          Room in Accra. His script is read by…

          LIB. FILE:SERVING US BETTER

          CUE IN: When the national…

          CUE OUT:…walk your talk.

ANN: Commentary examined the services of the Ghana Commercial

         Bank. The script was written by George Asekere of GBC, Radio

          Newsroom in Accra and read by….

When the National Tripartite Committee announced a 20 percent increase in the National Minimum Daily Wage for 2011, from 3.11Ghana cedi to 3.78 Ghana Cedi, most workers rejoiced for the mere fact that at least something will reflect in their pockets. However employers are more interested in how the upward adjustment in salaries of workers will have a corresponding effect on productivity.  The Akans in Ghana have a proverb which literally means whilst an embarrassment might not suffice to overwhelm you; it could render your cloths in shreds.  The truth is that with the emergence of social change in Ghana, any significant alteration in the social structure of the economy especially with the macro indicators, will a trickle down effect on the six pillar of the economy be it endogenously or exogenously. This explains why we should be concern about what happens in any sector of our economy be it political, religious, educational, health or marital. In fact no public institution or corporation in Ghana can lay claim to perfection as us efficiency is concerned. However one major institution whose operations affect productivity both directly and indirectly in the Ghanaian economy is the tax payer funded Ghana Commercial Bank, GCB. The Bank has a beautifully inspiring and inviting logo, We Serve you better which is boldly written on strategic places in and around the Banking Hall. The question is does the Ghana Commercial Bank truly serve its customers better? A non-hypocritical answer is no. Frankly speaking service at the GCB is irritating, frustrating, and sometimes embarrassing. Terminal errors on its ATM Machines have become a daily affair so customers now see it as normal phenomenon. Besides, what has now become known as link failure or network continue to gain notoriety. Worst of it all even when service seems normal customers are in long queues, some cashiers are busily chat. It is common to see a cashier without of the cake more than five times within an hour without telling anybody anything. As if to incur the anger of already tired customers, they look into your face and smile. It is nice to smile but more annoying to do it when you deliberately waist a customers time. It is common knowledge that some government workers including teachers in rural areas sometimes spend two working days just to withdraw their toiled earned money in their accounts. For those who visit the Bank thrice a month, several working hours are lost with the school children shouldering the net effect later. How long can we continue to suffer just because of the negligence of a few individuals entrusted to manage state institutions? The Ghana Commercial Bank is one of the best when it comes to trading in the Ghana Stock Market. The Bank has the highest number of branches dotted all over the country with well trained staffed. What workers seems to have forgotten is the very fact that branches are not established just to create jobs but help enhance productivity in the larger society. A cursory look at the track record of the Ghana Commercial Bank since its establishment in 1953, the bank has no justification to be meting out the king of services it provides to it valued customers today. When the government of Ghana decided in 1996 to diversify part of its ownership of the Bank under the economic recovery programme, many hailed the move with absolute convictions that things will improve for good. Today, the 78point 64 percent institutional and individual ownership of Ghana Commercial Bank is enough for the bank to compete with world class banks not only in Ghana but beyond looking at the wide range of services it provide and its enviable position in trading. If Kenyan  Nigerian and South African Banks can penetrate the Ghanaian market, successfully segment it be deeply be rooted, why can GBC do same in other African countries?  Again a close look at the services GCB offers make one wonder if the bank has target market at all. This is a Bank that competes with world class banks like Standard Chartered Bank, Barclays, Ecobank and Stanbic bank. At the same, it competes with ordinary susu collectors with its KUDU Nkosuo service. The marketing department of GCB must take a second look at their marketing mix since it is practically impossible to look into a bottle with two eyes. Ghanaians are worried about the services of GCB because of the dire consequences of its activities on the entirety of the economy after all if a finger brings oil it will surely soil the rest in the long run. Ghana Commercial Bank, Ghanaians truly want to  serve us better so walk your talk.

GIA.

Unite Ghanaians

01-03-11                                               NEWS COMMENTARY            LOVE

ANN: News commentary today stresses the need for Ghanaians

           To unite, love and forgive one another taking a cue from

            The recent meeting between former President Agyekum

            Kufuor and his successor Prof. John Evans Atta Mills

            The script is written by George Asekere of GBC-Radio

            Newsroom in Accra and read by…………

            LIB FILE: LOVE

            CUE IN: In His……

             CUE OUT: …better Ghana.

ANN: Commentary emphasized the need to put behind the past

          Forge ahead in love for the good of the country. The writer

           Was George Asekere of GBC-Radio Newsroom in Accra.                    His script was read by….

                                           REPORT

In His message to the hopeless people of Jerusalem who were exiled in Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar, God told the already dejected exiled people to pray for the welfare of their enemies and seek the good of the land. Again when the Sadducees asked Jesus of the greatest among the Ten Commandments, he responded by saying love your God and neighbor as yourself. The latest International Student’s Edition of the Oxford Advanced Lerner’s Dictionary defined love as a strong feeling of deep affection for somebody or something.  In fact, it is not easy to love and forgive people who have willfully caused you pain especially when the said pain lives a scar in once entire lifetime; yet this is exactly what our creator has instructed us to do. The Lord Jesus Christ is reported to have said that the limited times one can forgive is 77x7 which translates to 539 times. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission has an inspiring, motivating and perhaps one of the hardest instruction its mission statements, Love for all, Hatred for know. This, coupled with other religious commands is indicative that life is incomplete without fulfilling this difficult yet mandatory assignment. It is true that to err is human and to forgive is divine. However looking at the nature of our culture, Ghanaians should have little difficulty in putting behind us the past mistakes, forgiving one another and forging ahead as one people common destiny. After meting out one of the world’s worst human genocides on each other, the Hutus and Tutsis in Rwanda are today marrying from reach other’s clan. This further consolidates the fact that though we are humans and fallible, there is no sin that cannot be forgiven. Former President John Agyekum Kufuor must be commended for honoring the invitation of his successor John Atta Mills to the Castle at the time many people are of the view that the nation is divided along partisan lines. If the two former political arch-rivals could meet, discuss issues that are certainly, in the interest of the nation and decide with fidelity and faithfully abide by that, by not making public what they discussed, Ghanaians have no other option but to learn from these two true honorable statesmen. Despite our individual values, political ideologies, ethnic diversity and religious difference, the good people of Ghana believe the interest of Ghana supersedes any other. Psychologically we relieve our selves of so many burden and trauma any time we forgive and do something good to our friends who have offended us.  Many scholars continue to wonder why God described David as a man who did not stagger at the promise of God through unbelief thereby justifying him as righteous when in actual fact David connived with his wife and allowed another man to fornicate with her. His secret was love and forgiveness. This is a man who forgave and wept bitterly on the death of his son Absalom when the child had overthrown him as King and slept with his wives. This is the kind of true love that Ghanaians can emulate. Let us bear in mind that there can only be one political head at time who leads at the instance of a majority decision. We may not like a style of a leader but we own it a duty to support anyone elected democratically so we can together build a better Ghana.

GIA