GJA welcomes Supreme Court's ruling

Accra (Greater Accra) - The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has welcomed Wednesday's ruling of the Supreme Court that the National Media Commission (NMC) is the sole authority to appoint Chief Executives and Board of Directors of State Owned Media Institutions in consultation with the President. In a statement in Accra on Thursday, the GJA said the decision has settled once and for all the three- year- old legal tussle over the matter and has cleared all the ambiguity over Article 168 of the Constitution in relation to others.

The GJA expressed its satisfaction with the ruling and described it as a boost to press freedom and democracy. It said the ruling assures state owned media organisations and its journalists that they are indeed exempted from government control and other interference.

The GJA urged the Media Commission to act quickly in order not to create a vacuum and to pay attention to the qualification and proof of the ability of those to be appointed in the interest of developing a sound media culture. The Supreme Court by seven- panel unanimous decision ruled that the National Media Commission is the constitutional body vested with the power to appoint Chief Executives and Board of Directors of State owned Media Institutions acting in consultation with the President.