Original Palaver re-launched

Accra, April 29, GNA - Mr Chris Asher (Snr), Editor in Chief of the former "Palaver" newspaper on Thursday appealed to Ghanaian entrepreneurs to develop interest in the media, not only by using it to enhance their parochial interests but also to help them to improve their quality for public benefit.

Mr Asher, who returned home five months ago after being in exile for 25 years, was the Editor and Publisher of the "Palaver" from 1968 to 1981.

At a press briefing in connection with the forthcoming relaunch of the newspaper, he said the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) Government banned the "Palaver" and froze its assets and bank accounts. He stated that he was convinced, however, by his appearance at the National Reconciliation Commission after his long "wasted years" in exile, to stay back home and help build up the ego of young Journalists to abhor military rule and uphold constitutional governance for maximum development.

Mr Asher said his newspaper, "The Original Palaver", a weekly newspaper would be re-launched on May 12, 2004 and expressed the hope that it would play an active role in crusading against military adventurism in the country.

He further stated that apart from the weekly publications, he intended to launch an FM station Code-named Freedom FM, a Television station called Renaissance TV and install Web press for printing the UK based popular Africa News and World Report newspaper for the benefit of all Africans.

He said the newspaper would defend constitutional rule in Ghana and Africa as a whole to help curtail war on the Continent.

"We shall adhere to the ethics, canons, principles of investigative journalism, by probing, analysing, evaluating and commenting on news.

"While we cover the ongoing socio-economic, political, educational, religious, cultural and sporting events, we will continue to maintain our neutrality in politics in order to give all and sundry an opportunity to state their case without being bias and prejudiced", he said.

He notified all political parties of the paper's readiness to carry all shades of opinions and vowed to cooperate with other news media in the struggle to bring sanity, integrity, sincerity, probity and accountability into national politics.

Mr Asher declared that the "Original Palaver" had no relationship with the "Ghana Palaver".