Coronavirus and Rawlings’ death have reduced political temperature – Affail Monney

President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has said that the outbreak of the novel coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) and the death of former President Jerry John Rawlings have reduced the political tension two weeks into Election 2020.

According to Mr Monney, in previous election years, particularly in 2008 Ghana came bone-rattling close to a disaster of unthinkable proportions, all because of media recklessness.

Speaking at a workshop for journalists on election 2020 organized by the GJA and the Electoral Commission of Ghana. Mr Monney said “Covid-19 and Rawlings’ death have drastically reduced the political temperature. But this does not obscure the fact that danger of media-induced violence looms. This danger should signal a clarion caution to the media not to push our dear nation to the trajectory of self-destruction.”

He added that the media has an onerous responsibility to help build faith in the election process. Faith in any election is as important as its outcome.

“Irrespective of their partisan orientation, all media outlets should help achieve this political goal,” he said.

“It does not mean the media should spare the EC of criticism. Such criticism should help improve our election management system,” he said.

Due to the outbreak of COVID-19 political parties especially the two major parties NPP and NDC have both limited their electioneering campaign to curb the spread of the virus.

However, Rawlings also died on November 12, 2020, at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, a week after having been admitted for a short-term illness in Ghana.

His death came nearly two months after that of his mother, Victoria Agbotui, on 24 September 2020 President Nana Akufo-Addo declared a seven-day period of mourning in his honour and flags flown at half-mast.