Primitive Ghanaian Men Beat Afia Pokuah The Vim Lady

The recent spate of attacks on Journalists by the public should be a concern to every Ghanaian and such barbaric behavior by citizens should be condemned in no uncertain terms. The brutal attack on Afia Pokuah, the Vim Lady and her two colleagues,Nana Sefa and Kofi Assan, Journalists from Adom FM by Mr. Israel Kwame Laryeah, Manager of the National Health Insurance Scheme at Ablekuma in Accra and one other Employee.The three journalists were physically assaulted at Ablekuma, Flamingo- Zongo Junction.

I just started listening to Ghanaian Radio from my Texas abode especially the news as broadcast by Adom FM radio and Afia Pokuah's Burning Issues program on Mondays and Wednesdays, 3 PM to 5pm Texas time. I am usually at work this time but this is the time I close my appointments to customers and don't take any appointments on Mondays and Wednesdays so that I can listen to this program. This lady has a passion to educate Ghanaians about their rights on this program and she is a gem in Ghana Journalism who should be encouraged and protected. I have heard this is the second time the lady has been beaten and that is really unfortunate.

What was the crime of these Journalists to be attacked by the animals working at Ablekuma NHIS office? Nana Sefa, a reporter with the station, had gone there to report on the frustrations and complaints of persons who had been queueing since 3am to go through biometric registration, but had his mobile phone confiscated by Mr. Israel Kwame Laryeah, the Scheme Manager of the NHIS there.Mr Laryeah detained the reporter, insisting he would only release him if his Editor came there.

When Afia Pokuah got there, she was pounced on by Mr Laryeah and and one of his employees who tackled this lady and wrestled her to the ground and then dragged her into a gutter bruising the lady all over her body and nearly torn her clothes into shreds.

What kind of a man will attack a woman doing her job without any provocation? According to Afia, what infuriated this animal in human form was that, he did not appreciate her talking to customers and told Afia to leave the place. This is what is wrong with Ghanaian men. The place is not a private property but government establishment where we all own the place and unless somebody is there misbehaving, you cannot throw the person out. Mr Laryeah and the other employee should be dismissed immediatly

What infuriated me so much is the fact that, this attack took place with many witnesses around and Laryeah and his colleague who wrestled Afia to the ground were not arrested, what kind of society are we living in in Ghana? Where are the Police? In any civilized society, these 'animals' (Laryeah and his employee ) would have been arrested for assault and battery and Silvester Mensah, the CEO of NHIS would be fighting to keep his job. Ray Rice, a Baltimore Ravens football player beat his wife, Jannay Rice into unconsciousness and after being suspended for the whole year which is more likely going to end his football career, the Commissioner of National Football league(NFL) Roger Goddell is fighting to keep his job though he has no control over the player in question.

Ghana is an animal farm country where Managers or people who have others under their supervision are not held responsible for their behavior and because of that, they hire thugs, murderers, rapists and other criminals. If we start dismissing people like Sylvester Mensah, we will hire better workers instead of thugs who just pick up paychecks.

Another Daily Graphic Reporter,Daniel Kenu, was beaten to a pulp by Baffour Gyan, senior brother to Blackstars Captain, Asamoah Gyan and his Macho men security detail.

Last Saturday, Felix Akunor, a driver with MultiTV and two journalists, Solomon Joojo Cobbinah and Festus Jackson Davies were arrested on the orders of the Mayor of Accra, Alfred Vanderpuije while covering a story on the plight of some displaced people at Mensah Guinea in Accra, following the demolition of their structures the previous day by city authorities.

Journalism is a Noble profession and that is why it is called the fourth estate of government and one that is important to a functioning democracy. Ghana's nascent democracy needs its Journalists both in print, radio and visual media to keep the populace informed and educated both about government policies and what is going on in society. If the these people are not protected to keep doing their job, society will be the one that suffers.

In moving forward, I will urge the government to pursue the culprits relentlessly through the criminal process and those found guilty made to serve stiff prison sentences.

Not only that, in the case of Afiah Pokuah, I will advise her to sue NHIS, Sylvester Mensah, Mr. Laryea and the other employee in civil court for financial compensation of at least a million Ghana cedis. From the report I heard on the Radio from Afuah Pokuah, she hit her head on the culvert of the gutter and she needs to get a CAT SCAN done to avoid future medical complications. Mr Daniel Kenu should sue Asamoah Gyan, Baffour Gyan, Anim Addo and all those involved in lynching him for millions of cedis.

Our judicial branch should also join the community of modern society and start awarding real financial benefits to victims of crimes. In Europe and the America's, crime victims receive real compensation for brutalities meted out to them and this serve as a deterrent to would be thugs that, not only are they going to face prison terms if they assault people but their financial situations are also going to be compromised.

Finally, the Journalists Association and the Media commission should embark on a demonstration not against the government but against the primitive Ghanaians who think Journalists are there to be used as boxing and wrestlings partners by laying down their tools for half a day, from 6 AM to 12 NOON by all media houses, I mean T.V, and all Radio stations in Ghana for that six hours without any broadcast or music for citizens to realize the importance of Journalism. They should term this demonstration, THE SIX HOURS OF SILENCE and record their demonstration and broadcast it to their listeners and viewing public later. Seriously, this will be very educative if Ghanaians cannot here or watch anything for six hours, they will found how life is meaningless without music or somebody entertaining them on radio or T.V. They should sacrifice their advertising revenue and do this if they want the respect of Ghanaians.

Justice Sarpong

(CARDINAL of TRUTH)