Ghanaian Media Commended-Hamburg

Germany, 22nd June, 2003 -- Under the theme “Media and Politics in Africa”, a day’s forum was organized by the AUPA- Aktion f?r die Unabh?ngige Presse in Afrika- an organization of German based African Journalists on Sunday, 22nd June 2003.

Present at the function were Atse Amin Florent (Ivorian Ambassador in Germany), Alain Toussaint (Personal Advisor on Communications to the Ivorian President), M. Agbeyome Messan Kodjo (Fmr. Togolese Prime Minister(2000-02) now in exile in Germany). Others included Ties Rabe (SPD-Parliamentarian for Hamburg), German Professors of Political Science, African Journalists from Tunisia, Togo, Ivory Coast, Benin, Tanzania, and Uganda.

Patriotic Africans were also there, as well as German Journalists and young people interested in Africa.

Nick Idoko of Nigeria, a Guest Lecturer at the International Institute for Journalism in Berlin, began proceedings with a powerful speech which centered on Press Freedom in Africa (No Free Press, no development in Africa). Embittered by the failure of Africa to achieve development 60 years after independence, he collapsed before he could finish his speech, but was saved by the presence of a young Ghanaian Medical Doctor who preferred to be anonymous. Another person, this time a German, collapsed as soon as Idoko recovered, at which time the emergency Ambulance which had earlier been called arrived to take over from this young Ghanaian Medical Doctor.

Most people who spoke at the forum commended Ghana for its press freedom since the late eighties or early nineties.

A Tanzanian Professor who happened to be in the audience commented that even the press freedom we see in Africa now is rather more of a new form than content, where now the President could be cartooned, but there’s still fear of open criticism of politicians. He also said, African journalists should aim at achieving higher standards even than what pertains in European and American journalism by addressing issues that’ll promote development, morality, school education, poverty reduction etc.

The former Togolese PM the repression of the media in Togo through their just ended turbulent general elections, and named several journalists who have been either jailed or missing in Togo since 2001 when Eyadema wanted to change the constitution to suit his re-election. He called on all African and European journalists alike to speak out on these arrests and detentions of their Togolese colleagues.

1. You can contact aupa@gmx.de for further details since I’m not a journalist. I’m only doing my part as a patriotic son of Africa. Tel/Fax: 0049 40 42 91 34 02.

2. Or you can also let me have a mailing address so that I can fax or mail a copy of the Togolese PM’s speech to you.