Our media discuss more politics than development – Awuah-Darko

Kwame Awuah-Darko says a research conducted in 36 African countries revealed that 45-55 per cent of media discourse in Africa is on politics and not development, as compared to China.

He added that 25-35 per cent of media discourse focused on Religion with 15-7 per cent focusing on sport and 6 per cent of media discussions focusing on development.

The Businessman and Politician who was speaking on Citi TV’s Point of View said the findings of his research has informed the basis of his new book which is yet to be published.

Awuah-Darko said that he compared his findings to China’s development cycle and he realized that the media in China focused discussions on development.

He said: “So, you go through a normal news broadcast and the conversation would be a factory that has produced one million tractors, and it had improved by 36 per cent efficiency […] and they will show all the engineers that have worked on the project.”

He added: “So, you could see that the average Chinese person, who's done their development in my lifetime, thinks on how to make things and thinks of how to achieve things.’

Kwame Awuah-Darko noted that what the media focuses on in a particular country, then makes the country what it becomes.

He stated: “A lot of people in Africa are interested in Politics today… or becoming a pastor or a priest or a sportsperson. That is what we have become as a nation because they are oriented towards what they hear.’

Kwame Awuah-Darko explained that the lesson learnt is that the African continent has not started focusing on its developmental issues.