Media practitioners urged to scrutinize Defamation Bill

Accra, June 26, GNA - Media practitioners have been urged to take keen interest in the Defamation Bill to ensure that portions of the repealed criminal libel law are not smuggled into it. Mr Akoto Ampaw, a legal practitioner, said a review of the draft Defamation Bill indicated that some sections of the criminal libel law were finding their way back.

He cited a provision in the Bill giving powers to government to sue on information that it deemed defamatory.

Mr Ampaw was speaking at a day's seminar on the topic: "The State of Freedom and Independence of the Media in 2007," organized by the National Media Commission and Friedrich Ebert Siftung to create a platform for human rights advocates, policy makers, politicians and other professionals to reflect on the state of free expression in the country.

In his view it is wrong under the Fourth Republican Constitution for government, who is an agent of the people, to sue the citizens on whose behalf it is acting. Mr. Akoto Ampaw said the government had at its disposal enough propaganda machinery to counteract any information that it deemed negative without recourse to the law courts. According to him, the best that a Defamation Bill should seek to do was to broaden the scope and guarantee the freedom of expression of the citizens as enshrined in the constitution. On the Right to Information Bill, Mr Ampaw said it was important that the Attorney-General (AG) should not be made to take up the responsibility because the AG's Department was already saddled with numerous responsibilities.

He therefore suggested the setting up of an Independent Information Commission to carry out the task of access to information when the Bill was finally passed into law. Nana Oye Lithur, Africa Regional Coordinator of Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, said the National Media Commission needed to produce guidelines that would provide clear indication and direction to media practitioners on the issue of privacy of individuals. She said elaborate and defined rules would enable media practitioners to know where to draw the line between issues of public interest and privacy.

Mr Affail Monney, Vice-President of the Ghana Journalists Association, said the physical attacks on journalists in 2007 did not obscure the fact that the country was an example of free press. He said it was important that the media defended its freedom by sticking to the dictates of objectivity and fairness. Mr Monney said the GJA was revising its guidelines on election reportage to ensure that journalists did not act in ways that might jeopardize the peace.

Mr Alhassan Haruna, President of Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association, said journalists must not use the media to create disharmony in the society.

He called for the setting up of a working committee of GJA and GIBA to harmonise the code of ethics of the two groups to enhance the frontiers of media practice in the country. Mr George Sarpong, Executive Secretary, NMC, said there were still interferences in the media but cautioned journalists on irresponsible reportage as it could undermine the freedom and independence of the media.

Mr Frank Agyekum, Deputy Minister of Information, said irresponsible journalism could erode public confidence and asked the practitioners to guard against losing the profession to charlatans. 26 June 08