Gabby ‘fires’ political leader who blocks dissenting followers on social media

There is a political leader who is quick to block ‘disagreeable’ followers on his social media handles, and yet, always the first to condemn others on World Press Freedom Day, Gabby Asare Otchere Darko, a leading member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has said.

In a tweet to mark the World Press Freedom Day celebration on Monday May 3, the Publisher of the Daily Statesmen said “There is a political leader who is quick to block ‘disagreeable’ followers on his social media handles and yet always the first to condemn others on World Press Freedom Day. Enjoy Social Media Freedom Day 2021!”

Meanwhile, Former President John Dramani Mahama has charged President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to create an environment that is devoid of intimidation for the media.

Mr Mahama said this to mark the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day celebration.

In a Facebook post, Mr Mahama said “I want to encourage President Nana Akufo-Addo and his close associates to seize the occasion to create an atmosphere that is more tolerant of criticism and devoid of intimidation in order for the media, CSOs and individuals to freely express themselves and contribute to national discourse. #WorldPressFreedomDay.”

May 3 acts as a reminder to governments of the need to respect their commitment to press freedom, and is also a day of reflection among media professionals about issues of press freedom and professional ethics. Just as importantly, World Press Freedom Day is a day of support for media which are targets for the restraint, or abolition, of press freedom.

It is also a day of remembrance for those journalists who lost their lives in the pursuit of a story.

Every year, May 3 is a date which celebrates the fundamental principles of press freedom, to evaluate press freedom around the world, to defend the media from attacks on their independence, and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the exercise of their profession.

World Press Freedom Day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 1993 following a Recommendation adopted at the twenty-sixth session of UNESCO’s General Conference in 1991.

This in turn was a response to a call by African journalists who in 1991 produced the landmark Windhoek Declaration(link is external) on media pluralism and independence.

There is a political leader who is quick to block ‘disagreeable’ followers on his social media handles and yet always the first to condemn others on World Press Freedom Day. Enjoy Social Media Freedom Day 2021!

— Gabby Otchere-Darko (@GabbyDarko) May 3, 2021