Emile Short, Chairman of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) on Wednesday spiked reports that he had resigned.
Speaking at a press conference in Accra, he said he was at post and all allegations published recently in the Ghana Palaver that he had resigned, were false. Short said he travelled to Kigali, Rwanda, last week to attend the Second Ministerial Conference on Human Rights.
He said the reasons or motive for the publication, were difficult to fathom, adding that he had not been given any international appointment and could not imagine where such information could be coming from.
Short said staff of CHRAJ still maintained their stand on the abolition of the criminal libel law and supported the draft freedom of information bill, which would further strengthen the hand of the media.
He said CHRAJ was, however, distressed by the recent spate of malicious and false publications against the CHRAJ by some newspapers without verification or crosschecking of facts, saying this was contrary to the ethics of the profession of journalism.
"I also categorically deny that I have a love hate relationship with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government and I have also at no time expressed to anyone a desire to be appointed to the Supreme Court, as was stated in the paper."
Short also said that Mrs Angelina Domaakyareh, the former Deputy Commissioner, which the paper claimed was the first high profile official to have resigned did not resign but returned to the Volta River Authority because she was on secondment to the Commission.
Short also described as false and malicious a publication in the 28 February to March 6 issue of the Free Press, which said one Aboagye, a staff of the Commission was sacked for exposing a deal.
He said the employee was dismissed after being found guilty by a committee of enquiry over a series of facts of misconduct. This fact, he said, could easily have been ascertained by contacting any authorised official of the Commission.
Short cautioned media practitioners to be careful not to destroy the stature and creditability of important state institutions and public officials without just cause, probably for immediate advantages of monetary gain and popularity produced by sensational headlines and ill-researched stories.
Short said problems and challenges the Commission was experiencing, at present, particularly was its inability to retain its trained and competent staff because of uncompetitive salary levels and unattractive conditions of service, adding that the situation existed before the present administration took office.
He said the present government had, however, demonstrated a willingness to address them and discussions were going on to resolve them.
Short said the fear of the tyranny of the media, whether actual or perceived, made a net negative contribution to national development.
It resulted in self-censorship and subjugation of conscience and thought, produced a culture of silence or at best, a one-sided dialogue, he said. Short said human rights, including freedom of expression, were best promoted by objectivity and sound research and thoughtful reflection.
He said CHRAJ would adopt the now conventional approach of lodging complaint with the National Media Commission about these "offensive and false publications".
He said CHRAJ would, however, have no option but to resort to other appropriate legal remedies if it continued to be maligned in this manner. "It is wonderful to have the strength of the giant, but it is tyrannical to use it like a giant.
"This important advice do I commend to the few newspapers that use the power of the pen to tarnish the image and reputation of public officials and important state intuitions without any justification."
