Describing IGP as a ‘useless pig’ unpleasant, unprofessional so retract & apologise - Police to Journalist

The Police Administration has admonished investigative journalist Mannaseh Azuri to apologise for comparing the Inspector General of Police David Asante-Apeatu to a ‘useless pig’ in his recent article that has gone viral.

The Police Public Relations Directorate says the language used by the journalist in his write up, was unGhanaian and did not reflect his professional work as a journalist.

Head of the Public Relations Directorate, ACP David Eklu, told Alfredo d Kwame Larbi aka DJ Oxygen of OXY FM that, although the police accept criticisms, it was displeased at the level of unpleasant language adopted by the journalist.

He said, we take strong exception to the type of language used and we take strong exception to the imagery.

He said, it is unGhanaian, it is in bad taste, and does not reflect the standard of journalism that we expect in this country.”

He stressed that public scrutiny has always been accepted by the police administration but “if you choose to use a language that does not reflect the standard and cultural values in this country, then you are not practising a professional job.

The basic communication training he noted speaks against the use of offensive language and imagery against people especially when the person is highly respected in society and holds a prominent position.

The write up by the journalist he posited was done deliberately to tarnish the image of the IGP and the Police Administration.

Investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni has said the Inspector General of Police, Mr David Asante-Apeatu is “impotent” in resolving the insecurity issues recorded during the just-ended by-election, and this his “impotence” can be likened to the “impotence of a castrated pig”.

According to the award-winning journalist, the IGP is a “political puppet” incapable of addressing what happened during the by-election and in his words; “the Inspector General of Police is as impotent as a castrated pig in these matters …”.

Manasseh was reacting to developments following happenings in the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election in which armed, masked men attacked unarmed civilians and a police officer. The armed, masked boys were later revealed to be National Security boys.

But ACP David Eklu says the language used is indecent and disrespectful.

He insists it does not reflect the type of journalism practised in Ghana.

He said the article has incurred the wrath of Ghanaians who have questioned the professional training of the journalist.

The IGP he said has lifted the image of the police service to an enviable one that has been accepted globally

The achievements of the IGP he stated has seen the police in Ghana transformed hence he cannot be attacked in the manner like Azuri and is in his write up.

He has also hinted of a rejoinder should the journalist fail to retract and apologise.

He is, therefore, calling on the journalist to apologise to the IGP and the police administration.