The Media And National Unity In Ghana

Media practitioners must know that their actions have wider implications than what they might think of in the first place. Writing with INTENT to DESTROY by making false statements, spreading unsubstantiated stories and frequent sensational reporting are NOT the essence of journalism at all. Headline banners in some of the news papers appear more like slogans for WAR with most journalisms seeking SELF IMPORTANCE rather than reporting in an HONEST and UNADULTERATED MANNER, The TRUTH is that if the current problems in the country go UNCHECKED, then there will soon be nothing like journalism in Ghana. The National Media Commission and the Ghana Journalists Association must let the axe fall on the OVER INDULGED media practitioners in the country who practice anything but journalism. There are several MIS-FIT Journalists in the country whose actions must be severely brought under control and who must be made to account for their MISDEMEANOURES sometimes, In Ghana, we sadly call it freedom of expression, but many of these so-called Journalists WILL NOT SURVIVE a day in a more civilized and democratic country where REAL freedom of speech is well defined and practiced. Since Ghana returned to constitutional rule in 1992 there are certain news papers you do not have to touch because these are news papers that are PAID TO PUT A SPIN ON EVERY STORY. Anyway, this writer always read such papers because I am a no nonsense Natural Journalist par excellence, the opposition party knows which ones to read and the government also has its own MOUTHPIECE. Several people including this writer does NOT RESPECT Journalists who are always paid to put spins on every negative story. Such journalists always do that for FAVOURS and by so doing, the media have made everybody uncomfortable in Ghana since 1992 to date. Government appointees are aggrieved as the Opposition. The political debate in every country must be more about POLICIES and offer a better way of addressing a country’s problems, rather than destroying innocent people. It does not pay for the government of the day to ensure that there is NO PLACE other than the PRISON CELL for political opponents, trying them for every offence no matter how trivial they may appear but this remains a problem in Ghana. Between January, 2001 – December, 2008 the NPP government under President J.A Kufuor mis-used the judiciary to incarcerate several former ministers of state in the Rawlings administration and Mr. Tsatsu Tsikata who allegedly committed an offence of causing financial loss to the State in 1993 when that law was not even passed was jailed straight away and no one coughed. Yes, the NDC was shown where power lay by Kufuor’s NPP govt. as Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings went to and from the court for 8 good years. Many people were psychologically tortured day in, day out by the NPP government and many people including this writer think it would be very difficult for NDC supporters to say that we should not look back when the NDC won the elections in 2009. The NDC wanted state protection from 2001-2008, we had NONE, as we were constantly intimidated, crimmalised from TOP to BOTTOM, unlawfully incarcerated, discriminated, dismissal from Jobs and treated like 3rd class citizens in our own country by Kufuor’s NPP government. 98% of the print and electronic media closed their eyes and plugged their ears while strangely TAKING the opposition NDC party on its feet instead of the then ruling NPP government from 2001-2008. Was it how to practice Journalism in this country? It was and is still very shameful. When Prez-Mills was sworn into office on 17th January, 2009 he said, LET IT BE, and we obeyed him. Why are NPP members now crying “All die be die” and threaten a Rwanda style civil war in Ghana. Are they sick? The NPP are very lucky to have Professor Mills as the President of Ghana who hate vengeance otherwise they would have been paid dearly in their own coin for their primitive and intolerant way of dearling with NDC members during Ex-Prez. Kufuor’s administration from 2001-2008. Progressive Forces would have chased them to follow their dreaded Blue Elephant into the bush together with their Bias Media Friends who praised them to the high heavens for 8 years and they would have been sent to the bush by June 2009 never to return again. They falsely believe that they are intelligent and very smart but Ghanaians proved them wrong in December, 2008.

Today, the NPP’s battle cry is “All die be die” but when they were in government, they regarded laws as hindrances to be at best endured, originated when it suited them from 2001-2008. They relied on FEAR, INTIMIDATION and the RULE of Man as an instrument of power instead of the rule of Law. They refused to govern with respect for the citizens as the guiding principle. Many NDC members suffered countless humiliations and deprivations simply because of their political beliefs, their businesses suffered, they did not win govt. contracts and most lost their jobs from 2001-2008. NDC members and supporters deserve to get some redress and dividends from the 8 years of injustice and sacrifice. Many foot soldiers feel strongly that the NDC must use the benefit of office to correct many historical wrongs and make our long suffering supporters prosperous. The NPP was determined to destroy their political opponent in the NDC in order to succeed and create a one party state dominated by the NPP alone. However, they did whatever they could, they moved heaven and earth but failed from 2001-2008 and finally ended up losing the 2008 general elections, Three years into the Mills administration, the NPP is spitting fire and brime stone with threats and intimidations and promising to arm their party supporters for the 2012 general elections. We don’t threaten people to vote, we don’t intimidate people to vote, we rather humbly convince people to vote and regard them as human beings but our counter parts in the NPP believe that violence, threats and intimidations can win millions of votes for them and they will all live to regret come December, 2012. Ghana has become the most stable country in West Africa, a distinction the country stand to gain MORE if the political MATURITY so far exhibited is translated into economic well being for all. It will be recalled that the then candidate Mills conceded defeat and congratulated Ex-Prez. Kufuor even before the final election results were declared in December, 2004 because that result could not have made Mills the winner even if it was added to the final results. Since 1992, whenever NDC wins, it has rigged the elections, but when the NPP wins, it means that the elections are regarded as FREE and FAIR. Those wise political spiders in the NPP must be stopped in their tracks. Democracy must be able to put FOOD on the table that is what Ghanaians want and NOT BULLETS and DEATH, so the NPP leadership must come again, for we are fed up with their vain threats and intimidations. I shall return when the need arise. I am done. “Jaanbie Iwaii” Aluta Continua!

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