‘Culture of silence’: Let's focus on our 'failing journalistic standards' - Annoh-Dompreh

The Majority Chief Whip and Member of Parliament (MP) for Nsawam-Adoagyiri constituency, Hon Frank Annoh-Dompreh has asked that Ghanaians should focus on the failing journalistic standards rather than believing that we live in a 'Culture of Silence'.

According to him, Ghanaians are rather living in a "Culture of Dissent" where everyone including journalists can freely criticize the activities of the government without feeling intimidated.

In a post on Facebook, the Hon. Annoh-Dompreh stressed that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) led government will never do anything to silent its nationals since it was the same party that repealed the criminal libel law.

He also argued that this same government provided personal police protection for the investigative journalist, Manasseh Azure Awuni when he complained of receiving death threats.

Read his full writeup below:

Those who insist we live in a "Culture of Silence" may be regretting the reality that we actually live in a Culture of Dissent, where citizens are free to disagree with the government and the media often questions, checks & condemns government action where necessary.

It was the NPP government that repealed the criminal libel law and has championed pluralist views since its earliest days. In fact, social media giant Twitter recently stated its decisions to locate its Africa HQ in Ghana was partly informed by our freedom of expression credentials.

The regrettable death of Ahmed Suale, is still under investigation. When Manasseh Azure received death threats, the State provided him with personal police protection, underscoring the state's attitude.

What we should focus more on, is falling journalistic standards, fake news and how critical issues are reduced to political entertainment. Yesterday, UTV published fabricated news about the Ministry of Finance and recruitment into the security services. There have been no "repercussions." Joy FM is gaining a reputation for misinformation and doesn't even publicly apologize for this.

The culture of silence was a dark era in our history which has long been banished. We are not going back.

HON. FRANK ANNOH-DOMPREH, MAJORITY CHIEF WHIP OF TH, 8TH PARLIAMENT/MP NSAWAM ADOAGYIRI