Media not weapon for personality attacks – Archbishop Duncan-Williams

Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams, General Overseer of Action Chapel International has cautioned media practitioners against being used as weapons for personality attacks, especially during the processes towards Election 2012.

“Media is a powerful tool which can be used for good and for evil, especially in the processes leading to the December general elections, which is going to be the most difficult period ever in the nation’s political history.

“We need to remember that after December 7, 2012 we need to still have the nation Ghana united irrespective of who wins the elections, media personnel should therefore avoid being used as weapons for destruction,” Archbishop Duncan-Williams admonished media personnel at a press encounter hosted by the Church in Accra.

The media encounter was attended by leading members of Action Chapel including Bishop James Saah, Bishop Clive Mould, Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, Action Chapel CEO, and other senior pastors of the Church as well as senior journalists and editors of both private and State media.

Archbishop Duncan-Williams appealed to the media especially electronic media practitioners to check the creeping usage of abusive intemperate language on air. "Abusive language is unacceptable in our culture, we revered our elders but now we are corrupting our moral values and system.

“We are gradually developing a new crop of youth and leaders who take liberty to insult and attack opponents using the media as spring board...this is unacceptable, I therefore task the media to sanitise the airwaves”.

He tasked all stakeholders including religious leaders, politicians, media practitioners, democratic institutions, civil society organisations, and security personnel to get involved in the electoral process as peace makers.

The leadership of the church used the occasion to offer prayers for the Ghanaian media, and peaceful elections.

As a demonstration of the church’s commitment towards peace in Ghana, Archbishop Duncan-Williams outlined a series of religious activities including a National Prayer Breakfast at Movienpick Hotel on Wednesaday, March 28.

The National Prayer Breakfast is intended to bring national leaders – political, cultural, social, sports, professionals, traditional, academic, business, and religious together to commit themselves to God’s plan for this nation.

“It will take such a binding commitment from all to ensure that peace reigns in our nation during this election year...We expect President John Evans Atta Mills, Ex-President Jerry John Rawlings and Ex-President John Agyekum Kufuor and the leadership of opposition political parties to have such a commitment,” Archbishop Duncan-Williams stated.

He said the National Prayer Breakfast will be followed immediately on Friday, March 30 with an All Believers All Night Service at the Independence Square to pray for the nation.

“It will be an opportunity to invoke God’s promises to this land of our birth and to block all attempts to bring chaos and confusion into the country,” Archbishop Duncan-Williams said.**