Toothless bull dogs Ghanaian journalists

Ghanaian journalists are identical to toothless bull dogs that can bark but cannot bite. The Journalists are among the most corrupt people in the country and have sold their conscience to them. Why can’t the people believe the status quo and live with it, if journalists, defenders of civilians, are quiet over it.

The award winning Journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni deserves congratulations for nailing the coffin in front of Ghanaian Journalists and urging them to cease the programmed robot attitude of only reporting from press conferences and re-echoing what party “A” or Party “B” says.

This statement appeals to all journalists to sit up and use the pen to expose the corrupt practices which have reached an endemic proportion that should not be tolerated.

I wrote an article dated August 16, 2010 and headlined “Ghanaian Journalists Not Defending Freedom of Speech.” This was the time Nana Darkwa, a 27 year-old New Patriotic Party (NPP) activist, was arrested, incarcerated and later released on bail. The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and its members never went to Nana Darkwa’s defence. What he said bordered on FREEDOM OF SPEECH which was enjoyed absolutely under ex-President J. A. Kufuor.

Nana Darkwa was arrested AT THE PREMISES OF Top Radio, an Accra based FM Radio Station for allegedly saying that he believed the former President J. J. Rawlings burnt his own house, which was reduced to ashes on Sunday, February 14, 2010.

While the fire raged on, vehicles and all metallic equipment, including refrigerators were able to crawl out of the fire. Ghana’s Fire Marshall has, however, not been able to ascertain the cause of the fire to-date.

Surprisingly, when the Police CID invited Ato Kwamena Dadzie, Joy FM “then” acting News Editor for questioning over a news story carried by JOY FM, all the GURUS in the media woke up and shook themselves in defence of Ato Dadzie. Is this not “DOUBLE STANDARDS” Ghanaian Journalists were setting in the country?

This is exactly the double standards we are experiencing now with regards to corruption. Has any of the Ghanaian Journalists been to the Fire Marshall to question the source of the fire that engulfed ex-President Rawlings’ home? If yes, what was the answer from the Fire Marshall?

Internationally, Journalists criticize even at the peril of their lives, indicating what they believe in. Locally, it is only the editor of the Daily Guide who stood before the corrupt Nine Supreme Court Judges that presided over the constitutional case recently and refused to apologise. Although he knew the consequences, he stood by his conscience and belief.

If not all the Journalists, most of them are corrupt and are thinking about their stomach. Rawlings told the nation at the time of his coup that a worker earns 30 cedis a day and buys a chicken at 70 cedis. How does the worker make the difference?

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At the time Rawlings left the scene as a” businessman in uniform”, how much was a worker earning and how much was the cost of a chicken? Was he able to help the worker out of his plight?

Rawlings has amassed undeserved wealth. He has milked the nation white. These are some of the facts the people must know through education by Journalists.

I think Journalists will say we are doing our best. But to the Ghanaian, their best is below the expectation. They must wake up from the doldrums and help Ghanaians out of this corrupt system

Source Dr. Boakye Yiadom

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