Partisan media is dangerous to democratic process

The media have been advised to stick to their constitutional role, refrain from party politics and ensure objective, fair and balanced reportage that would help deepen democratic governance in the country.

The National Youth Organiser of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Iddrisu Haruna gave the advise at a symposium at Cape Coast on Saturday.

It was organised by the Tertiary Educational Institution Network (TEIN) of the University of Cape Coast branch of the party on the topic" the role of the student in democratic era."

Mr Haruna said a partisan media was dangerous to the current democratic practice and urged the journalist not to do anything to undermine the process.

He said because the NDC believed in democratic governance it handed over power peacefully to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) after the 2000 general elections.

Mr Haruna said the NDC did not believe in political vengeance but its focus was to develop the country and improve the lot of the people.

He said interfering with the work of the judiciary was most dangerous for the society and appealed to Ghanaians to ensure that the judiciary operated independently as enshrined in the 1992 Constitution.

Mr Haruna said he was not happy that President John Agyekum Kufuor, who is chairman of the ECOWAS was silent over the "abandonment of democracy in nearby Togo, where the ruling government has disallowed an opposition candidate to contest the forthcoming presidential election in that country."

\Mr Baba Jamal, NDC Deputy General Secretary, said the positive change that the NPP preached has "turned to a serious negative change and urged the people to forget a government that cannot fulfil his promise."

According to him, the NPP was not interested in the welfare of the people but its aim was to ensure that there was calamity within the NDC, despite the NPP's claim that it had the men capable of making the country better than what the NDC did.

Mr Ofosu Ampofo, Member of Parliament for Fanteakwa urged Ghanaians to support the NDC "sankofa" programme.

\Mr Evils Afriyie Ankrah, Campaign Manager of the party urged members of the party to work harder to bring the party back to power, saying that this time round no candidate would be imposed on any constituency.

Later the out-going TEIN executives handed over to the in-coming executives.

Earlier, the NDC officials showed a video tape on the Afenya and Afefe rice project to the people. The NDC officials said the project had been abandoned.

Among those present were Professor Evans Atta Mills, NDC flagbearer and Dr. Obed Asamoah, NDC national chairman