Have you ever conducted a coronavirus test before?

Dear Larry Dogbey,

HAVE YOU EVER CONDUCTED A COVID-19 TEST BEFORE?

Good afternoon the editor in chief of the Herald newspaper. I hope this harmless piece finds you wherever you are. Your newspaper on 24th June, 2020 made an utterly disgusting, wicked and malicious publication about the health status of Hon. Dan Botwe, Hon.Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh and Member of Parliament for Effutu, Hon.Alexander Kwamena - Afenyo Markin.

On your front page, there is an inscription that reads "Dan Botwe, NAPO and Afenyo Markin in Hospital?" Frankly speaking, I am not a media man but I think any street individual who has not been taught ethics of journalism would for a moment ponder over what you sought to tell the public.

How the publication was couched is an evidence that you do not know the ethics of your profession. You can best be described as a gutter journalist who needs an additional push in order to stay relevant.

We know that this feverish publication has become the style of unprofessional journalists who think that, the only way to catch the attention of the public is to publish falsehood about distinguished members of the society who by their dint of hard work and selfless dedication have gotten to where they are today.

The likes of Larry Dogbey should be a reason for people to begin advocating for a complete sanitization of the print media for the collective good of the society.

It is imperative to note that, a purported publication of the health status of any individual cannot fall under the ambit of an"OPINION" and for that matter, the professional ethics do require a customary verification of the facts and "SOURCE" disclosure if any.

Larry, your cancerous and senseless publication was not done in accordance with what the ethics requirements and that is the most unfortunate reason why you decided to capture it under the opinion column of your paper. This I contend makes your wicked publication doubtful and speculatory. You should, therefore, be ashamed of your self for choosing that doggy path.

Hon.Alexander Kwamena - Afenyo Markin is not in any hospital. The records would show that this morning, he successfully moved a motion in the Winneba high court concerning UEW PRO VC's nomination. The question is, how can somebody hospitalized as you unintelligently alleged be in court and in parliament?

Larry, are you telling the general public that, the few years you have practiced as a journalist and at your age, you do not know what actually qualifies as a statement of opinion? Seriously I do think you need to visit the ethics of your profession again.

Common sense should have informed you that, an act seeking to disclose the health status of any individual cannot be described as a mere exercise of doubtful opinion. The health status of these MPs who submitted themselves to be tested cannot be disclosed unless by consent in view of the Public Health Act,2012(Act 851). As we speak, none of these MPs have to give their consent for their health status to be disclosed so the question is, where did you get your source of information?

There are ways an editor can adopt to cause traffic for readers of his newspaper publication. The jaundiced publication is certainly not one of them.
This yellowish publication can only be done by a tabula rasa like your type.

Dawda Eric(Equity)
Citizen Vigilance for Justice
[email protected]