“If journalists cannot be trusted to guarantee confidentiality, then journalists
cannot function, and there cannot be a free press'' - Judith Miller, US
journalist!
Ato Kwamina Dadzie, an acting news editor of joy has come under fire for
publishing a news item on Joy FM. He is also being charged with the offense of
publishing news story “with intent to cause fear and alarm” after he refused to
name the sources behind a news broadcast on Joy FM on July 6th 2010. The state
is charging Ato Kwamina Dadzie with a criminal offence. It’s the same charge
being faced by Nana Darkwa, who accused Rawlings of setting fire to his own
house.
The state has every right under the law to prosecute law breakers. However,
beneath the edifice of Ato’s predicament is the hypocrisy of the Mills’
administration. I take offense to the government’s position on this issue.
Why all this hypocrisy? When the Nana Darkwa issue came up, the government
quickly came out and swiftly disassociated itself from the actions of the police
so why is the government heavily involved in this case?
What sort of hypocrisy is this? Why is the government interested in this
particular case but not Nana Darkwa case?
Can a threat be investigated if the complainant does not formally lodge a
complaint with the police?
Is it unreasonable to assume the complainants at GREDA are petrified and do not
wish to talk to the Police? Why is a story alleging GREDA members were
threatened for voicing their reservations about the US$ 10 billion STX deal, the
largest such deal in the history of Ghana, seem unbelievable? Why should a story
claiming that GREDA members are receiving threats caused fear and panic? It is
obvious JOY FM and Ato Kwamina Dadzie is being victimized.
Are we to accept that the mere disclosure of a 'source' of a story makes the
story true? Are we also to accept that, the Ghana police have a policy that
states that once the source of a story is revealed then the story is true? Are
we being told that there are no false “sources”? What sort of democracy are we
building for future generations?
I have lost whatever respect I have for President Mills. I expected a lot better
from his presidency. Why all these blunders? Is he actually in charge? Isn’t it
a shame that national resources would be spent on intimidating journalists?
This is a fickle-minded and knee-jerk reaction of the police as well as the
“string-pulling” of faceless, not-so-brave politicians who want to curtail press
freedom. The action of the police is absolute gibberish and they must bow down
their heads in remorseless shame! What kind of world do Ghanaians live in?
Inasmuch as we may disagree with Ato Kwamina Dadzie and joy FM with their style
of reporting, we cannot be seen to be endorsing this kind of tyranny on the
excuse of “causing fear and alarm”. It is becoming increasingly clear that the
government is intolerant to dissenting views.
I really can't believe the "stupidity" of certain people in authority. This is
not about the motives of Ato Kwamina Dadzie or anyone else. This is about press
freedom and government interference. If indeed a law has been broken why the CID
headquarters not the normal process of having someone charged at a local police
station? This just goes to show the case is being handled at a very high level.
What is the value of political pluralism if citizens cannot express their
thoughts on national issues that affect their daily experiential? Where is
freedom of speech when today’s rulers equate information dissemination with
crime and hound media practitioners as their enemies? Why is it acceptable, for
some government functionaries and ministers of state, to make reckless statement
on air, yet see the scrutiny of their policies by journalists, as a taboo?
Despite the façade of constitutional democracy, many Ghanaians are aware of
backdoor attempts to criminalize speech in this political dispensation.
Atta Mills is actually not in charge. Mills' governance patterns are worse of
all and are blighted by his penchant for vindictiveness. He is so intolerant
that he prefers putting up educated illiterates to defend his gross incompetence
to fixing our deflationary economy.
It really saddens me to know that despite our pretensions most of us just do not
understand democracy in the least. Whether or not you agree with the views of
Ato Kwamina Dadzie is irrelevant. There are many journalists with whom I do not
and cannot agree. However, press freedom and democracy mean that anyone should
be free to say what is on their mind. If a journalist makes a libelous statement
he or she can be taken to task through the appropriate channels and not the
politically motivated process currently taking place in Ghana.
Journalists have to continue to report what they hear, and they should generally
be able to do that without being intimidated into revealing their sources since
as a society that is the only way in which sensitive matters come to light. All
Ghanaians should see that they have a vested interest in this brouhaha, and
should act to protect the right to keep “sources” identities secret. Ghanaians
must let the government know that they won't tolerate any attempt to intimidate
the media. Some of us knew that it will come to this. We had heard worst
statements that could cause fear and panic, what did the police administration
do about it. They should give us a break.
From all indications, our nation democracy is failing. Our speech-democracy is
manipulative. It extorts universal obedience with promises of gifts. It takes
away human agency from the grassroots, and makes puppets out of elated party
supporters. While we are told that we are all equal before the law, the Ghanaian
criminal justice system does not hesitate to trample on people’s right base on
archaic laws of “causing fear and alarm”.
While the nation’s media has played a very useful role in building a workable
democracy, it must continue to be seen as a credible partner. The media must
also trade political subjectivity for objectivity, and restores society’s sight
to see the brazen injustices in our democracy. Rather than allowing itself to
become a profit-generating machine, the media must help to build a civil society
that is committed to the greater good of our nation. The media must take to
debating, and critiquing, policies that are central to national development and
universal enlightenment. While some media houses may think that they are
insulated from the bitter experiences of the public, their indifference to
defending the truth will only encourage wrongdoers to benefit from their
transgressions.
We cannot move forward in the needed direction if we lack cardinal virtues such
as discretion, temperance, fortitude, decency, tolerance and so forth.
Ato Kwamina Dadzie and Joy FM must continue with their watchdog role and they
must also reassert themselves as the ally of the people. This way our democracy
will grow.
We shall be back!
Emmanuel Dela Coffie
www.delacoffie.wordpress.com
