The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has expressed disappointment in the failure of the Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah to unequivocally condemn the recent attack on UTV by a group hooligans affiliated to the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).
According to GJA, it finds the minister's statement on the attack which occurred on Saturday, October 7, 2023, during a live broadcast as wobbly.
“The GJA has also taken notice of a press statement issued by the Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, on the happenings at UTV, but we are highly disappointed in the Minister for issuing that wobbling statement.
“In the second paragraph of the press statement, the Minister tries to justify the barbaric attack by holding that the hooligans entered UTV “allegedly without authorization” when he was the very person who reported to, and called in, the Police; in the fourth paragraph, the minister avoids direct condemnation of the hooligans and conveniently makes his condemnation general, and, worst of all, in the last paragraph, the Minister imposes a burden on the media to promote national cohesion, regardless of the incessant attacks against them,” the statement added.
A group said to be NPP members stormed the studios of UTV during the broadcast of United Showbiz demanding for regular pundit of the show, Kwame Asare Obeng alias A Plus.
The group, said to be unhappy with A Plus shredding a letter by the leadership of the NPP to the management of UTV calling for a reform of United Showbiz, are said to have assaulted some staff of the media company before making their way into the studios.
The police later announced the arrest of 16 individuals in connection with the attack.
In a statement following the incident the minister of information urged media houses to prioritize the promotion of national cohesion while exercising their fundamental freedoms.
“The Ministry condemns in no uncertain terms any unauthorized entry into media organizations, in protest at media content, or interference with media work,” the minister noted.
This according to GJA was skewed to conveniently avoid a direct condemnation of the incident at UTV.
“The Minister’s press statement is in sharp contrast to another one issued by the PR Unit of his Ministry on May 4, 2023, in respect of the attack on a radio presenter on Dagbon FM in Tamale by a communicator of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
“The Ministry’s May 2023 press statement was very direct: the Ministry described the attack as ASSAULT without any “allegedly” clothing; the Ministry condemned the act, specifically without giving it general direction; the Ministry called for “severe and speedy response from law enforcement agencies” to avoid future recurrence; the Minister had a telephone conversation with victim of assault, and the Minister “offered the support of the Ministry if he will require any.
“Between the two cases – Dagbon FM and UTV, the Minister of Information and/or the Ministry of Information has or have not been even-handed in addressing the critical issues at stake, and we find that very worrying,” the GJA said.
While urging the media to be bold and not be intimidated, GJA also admonished practitioners and institutions to be professional in the discharge of their duties.
The association further called for a thorough investigation into the UTV incident and the prosecution of all persons found culpable.
Read the GJA statement below:
GA/SARA
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