VRA deplores operations of self-styled social commemtator

Accra, Jan. 26, GNA - The Volta River Authority (VRA) has expressed concern about the operation of self-styled opinion leader and social commentator, Mr Owula Mangortey, who has used the media to cast insinuations, aspersions and suggestions of impropriety on the part of the Authority, its staff, especially the Chief Executive.

A press release issued by the Public Affairs Department of the VRA said Mr Mangortey has shown unduly exceptional interest in the affairs of the VRA and the Chief Executive, acting under the guise of the pursuit of scrutiny of public organisations and officials.

"The Volta River Authority would like the Ghanaian public to know that whilst it welcomes and is happy to keep the public informed of its activities, and is indeed supportive of the important work of media personnel and social commentators to keep the searchlight on public officials, it is extremely disturbed about the motives and methods of Mr Mangortey and feels compelled to bring some very important issues to the attention of the Ghanaian public," the statement said.

Over the last year, Mr Mangortey, who also styles himself as an energy expert, has made approaches to the Volta River Authority to offer his services as a Media Consultant and promoter of the Authority's cause. Mr Mangortey has approached Senior Management of the Authority to offer the following specific services amongst others: "to be given appointment as a promoter of VRA's public image", "to invite VRA to use his radio programmes on Unique FM as a tool to promote the Authority corporate image" and "to be given free reign to use his access to the media to promote VRA's corporate image".

The objective of Mr Mangortey's offer to assist VRA has been to, in his own words; "assist the Authority to correct the supposedly negative image that it has in the eyes of the public". VRA would like to place on record that whilst it has politely listened to Mr Mangortey's offers, it has declined all of them on the basis that the Authority has a fully functioning Public Affairs Department that can competently handle the promotion of the Authority's image and its desire to keep the public fully informed of its activities. It is also important to let the public know that each time the Authority has declined Mr Mangortey's approaches, it has been subjected to sustained, and unmeritorious attacks on its integrity and good name by Mr Mangortey in various media outlets in the country.

While these attacks are seemingly presented as legitimate scrutiny of VRA's activities on behalf of the public, it is also important to point out that the coincidence of VRA's spurning of Mr Mangortey's approaches and subsequent virulent attacks from him in the media constitute a very serious and dangerous conflict of the rightful and critical scrutiny of public interest and the pursuit of Mr Mangortey's own private interest. It is VRA's view that such conduct is unethical, unprofessional and if not checked constituted a threat to the integrity and conduct of the Ghanaian media, which has shown exemplary conduct in the pursuit of the growing freedom of the press in Ghana and increasing the awareness of the Ghanaian public of the work of public institutions.

VRA wishes to re-affirm its commitment to an open and transparent prosecution of its business and the strengthening of its relations with the media in their legitimate pursuit of the Authority's accountability on behalf of the people of Ghana.

"VRA is also committed to the fullest scrutiny and public disclosure of the conduct of its business. However, the Authority also believes that the freedom of the media, which Ghana enjoys today, should go hand-in-hand with the practice of responsible journalism; a practice that is devoid of any hint of extortion of public bodies or any suggestion of the blackmail of senior officials.

"Such occurrences, subtle or otherwise should not be allowed to mar the tremendous strides and achievement made by Ghana's media over the last decade," the statement said.

"VRA believes that Mr Mangortey's attempt to become both the poacher and the game keeper of the Authority's corporate image and public perception is unacceptable and should be made public so that the excessive and obsessive interest shown by Mr Mangortey in the Authority's activities could be exposed and set in the proper context for all the people of Ghana to have a more complete picture to judge the merits or otherwise of Mr Mangortey's comments on the Authority's affairs."