Media Commission urged to bring sanity into media

Accra, December 22, GNA - The Chief Justice, Justice Kingsley Acquah on Monday urged the National Media Commission (NMC) to use its mandate to regulate the work of Journalists to ensure that they did not impact negatively on the country.

He said certain views expressed by some media establishments in the neighbouring Sub-Saharan countries have had incalculable effect on their socio-economic development.

Justice Acquah made the remark in Accra when he swore in two Members of Parliament (MPs), who have been re-elected to represent the House on NMC.

They are Mr Abraham Osei Aidoo, MP Tema West and Mr Kwame Osei Prempeh, MP, Nsuta Kwamang.

The Chief Justice said it was important that the NMC ensured that people in the media did not express views that would have the tendency of inciting the public to take to lawless acts.

He noted that although the media was inevitably an essential tool needed to nurture the democratic path the nation had chosen, it must do so with outmost discreetness.

"The people of this country are fed up with unconstitutional rule, therefore, the media must play its part to ensure that they contribute to maintaining the fledgling democracy."

Justice Acquah urged the NMC to work hard to fulfil the aspiration of the law that set it up and asked the representatives to bring their experiences to bear positively on the work of the Commission. Mr Aidoo expressed gratitude to Parliament for re-electing them to the NMC, saying it showed their dedicated service.

He said even though the Commission was mandated to regulate the activities of the media, it would ensure that the independence of the media was not infringed upon.

"The media must be allowed to play its watchdog role critically without interference to ensure socio-economic development of the country".

Mr Aidoo said the work of the NMC had been hampered by inadequate funds and asked the Government to increase its financial support to the Commission to enable it to function effectively.