Journalists must exercise a high sense of circumspection-Cameron Duodu

Mr Cameron Duodu, a renowned Ghanaian Journalist and Author, on Friday called on Journalists to exercise a high level of circumspection in their work.

He said just as a soldier had no right to use the gun, his working tool, to seize political power, so should a Journalist because he had access to the media not misuse the position to tarnish the hard earned reputation of others.

The Icon of many a Journalist, was speaking at "An Evening with Cameron Duodo" at the Ghana International Press Centre, in Accra.

He said just as Journalists had the right to free expression so did others have the right to their reputation, adding, "your rights end at the other person's nose".

He decried the quality of the English Language used in the Ghanaian media and admonished Journalists to read extensively to improve upon their diction.

Mr Duodu advised Journalists to be very careful to avoid mistakes and cited an instance where Squadron Leader George Tagoe was mistakenly reported to have told the National Reconciliation Commission that he was one "of 13 people, who were behind the arrest and executions of the seven top senior military officers after the June 4, 1979 Uprising" when indeed it was the name of one Commodore Duodo that was mentioned.

The Veteran Journalist appealed to Ghanaians to accept a set of ground rules that under no circumstance would they tolerate a military regime and that no politician should collaborate with soldiers to overthrow an elected government.

"I had to stay outside my country for 20 years and I don't want to go and stay in another country again," he said.

Turning to the international scene, Mr Duodu advised Journalists to take the trouble to research into the Zimbabwean situation before condemning President Robert Mugabe, whom, he said, had only taken back lands which a few White Zimbabweans used guns to seize and control for over a century.

On Iraq, he said, the United States had bitten more than it could chew in the light of the latest developments after the war that ousted President Saddam Hussein.

The President of Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Ms Ajoa Yeboah-Afari and a number of very Senior Journalists attended the function, which was organised by the GJA in collaboration with the Friedrich Ebert Foundation.