Open letter to the GJA President

Dear President Affail Monney (GJA),

Kindly permit me to lodge a complaint about the conduct of some journalists in relation to money and whether or not News at a Press Conference at your office will be carried or not.

On 29th April, 2019 *New Times* journalists demanded 'SOLI' and threatened that they will not do a story after covering a Press Conference at the International Press Centre (Ghana Journalists Association) office.

They caused a scene, they carried through their threat and didn't do the story.

This happened before dozens of journalists and an official of the Ghana Journalists Association.

The organizers indicated that due to the economic situation and time-dependency of filing stories, they had a token to cushion the transportation to and from the Press Conference which all except the *New Times* journalists accepted.

The state owned *New Times Corporation* journalists did not only monetize NEWS but put access to media dissemination of information by the public beyond the reach of people who cannot afford their fees/price/ransom!

On the occasion of International Press Freedom Day, as we salute the good journalists we must expose the bad nuts so we can improve the quality of journalism in the country.

*THE 'POOR' CANNOT BE DENIED A VOICE!*

The GJA can and must find, and sanction those unruly, unprofessional *New Times* journalists who tried to price the pages of the State Owned Newspaper beyond the reach of taxpaying Ghanaians.

Interestingly readers of the *Ghanaian Times Newspaper* were denied news that would have enriched our democracy, in tune with this year's Press Freedom Day theme. The President of Ghana's continuous refusal to act on several Petitions from the La Mantse, La Traditional Council and La Citizens *(including an Article 146 Petition for the Removal of Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo)* despite many leading Lawyers and journalists claiming that the President is only a conveyor belt in such matters; yet after 15months the President's conveyor belt has not sent a letter to the Council of State as required by the 1992 Constitution [last check at the Council of State office was TODAY].

Another key issue missed by readers of the *Ghanaian Times Newspaper* was the aversion of the La Chiefs and People to the Commander in Chief of the Ghana Army to the clandestine attempts by the Military to annex La Lands in collusion with the Lands Commission [Petition pending since December 2017] using an illegal Military Cemetery and a statue of a slain military officer.

The fraudulent extension of leases on State Acquired Lands by various institutions [e.g. PRESEC & Ghana International Tradefair Company] unilaterally in collusion with the Lands Commission, without the authority of the President of Ghana nor the Original Land Owners as prescribed by the 1992 Constitution was subject of the Press Conference that the *New Times* journalists refused to report.

Finally, Mr. President (GJA), kindly use your good offices to let the President of Ghana and Commander in Chief know the value of Good Governance if some of your members will not, if for nothing; to give meaning to the theme for this year's event beyond the speeches, pictures and funfair.

Thank you & have a wonderful Press Freedom Day.

Prince-Derek Adjei (PDA) 3rd May, 2019.

Cc: Hon. Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah [Information Minister]