Government censorship of press not workable - Media Watchdog

The National Media Commission (NMC) on Friday said the recent directive by the government to censor all stories from and about the Yendi conflict was unworkable and put a limit to press freedom.

Mr. Yaw Boadu Ayeboafo, Executive Secretary of the NMC said the Complaints Settlement Committee of the NMC, together with the Ethics Committee of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and disciplinary bodies of media institutions constitute alternative on the media regulation that are constitutionally acceptable than censorship by a government ministry.

Mr. Ayeboafo was presenting a paper at a panel discussion on Human Rights dubbed, "Censorship versus transparency: the role of the press in reporting the facts". In his paper titled, "In the Freedom Regulation Continuum, What is the mediating factor-an instrument of censorship or are there any alternatives", he said the media were the eyes and ears of the public and any attempt to stifle it would mean denying the fundamental rights of the citizenry.

He said the 1992 constitution provides for fundamental human rights including freedom of the media in articles 12 to 30. "However, article 31 (10) extinguishes all these freedoms in times of emergency, in so far as it seems reasonably justifiable to the President and his desires are endorsed by Parliament."

Mr. Yaw Owusu Addo, Director of Radio GBC, and Vice President of the GJA said democracy demands workable solutions rather than draconian systems, which take away the fundamental rights of the people.

He said, he was happy government accepted the GJA proposals of guidelines to the Ministry of Information for the coverage of conflict situations, saying this was a better way forward than censorship.

Quoting from the guidelines, Mr. Owusu Addo said there was the need to separate facts from opinion and conjecture, the media must be sensible to national and local values and norms and observe tact and diplomacy in their reportage. They should also avoid sectional, ethnic, parochial references, repetition of or allusions to stereotypes and propaganda, among other things.

He said infringement on these guidelines would attract sanctions such as imprisonment for a maximum of 14 days with the option of a fine, appointment of an administrator to direct the operations of the media house, subject to review within 14 days.

The NMC was enjoined to establish within the complaint settlement committee, a special committee to monitor the observance of the above guidelines and to initiate the necessary legislation to give effect to these guidelines, Mr Owusu Addo added.

Nana Ohene Ntow, Assistant Government Spokesman said government's intention was to ensure national security and cohesion during the Yendi conflict and the government's maturity in this was obvious.

The constitution contains specific provisions, which deals with accountability, transparency and participation, adding that the NPP government had made this the nucleus of its functions and was the first to put itself at the disposure of the public to be probed.

Nana Ohene Ntow said information has become the key resource in the world today, outstripping the importance of old key resources, like land and capital, adding that this was one of the doctrines of the present government.