Asiedu Nketia, John Boadu and party officials cited for abusive language on radio

The General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), John Boadu and Johnson Asiedu Nketia of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have been cited in the use of indecent and abusive language on radio.

This was among several findings in the July report of the Media Foundation for West Africa's (MFWA)’s election 2020 campaign language monitoring project.

The report also stated that Benjamin Kofi Ayeh, former NPP MP for Upper Denkyira West as perpetrators of indecent language on radio.

Others were Oheneba Boamah Bennie, host of Accra-based Power FM's The Battle Ground, and Mugabe Maase, host of Power FM's Inside Politics amongst others.

Over the monitoring period from July 1-31, 2020, a total of 2,749 radio programmes were monitored on 35 selected radio stations across the country.

The programmes included news bulletins, and political/current affairs discussions aired on the 35 radio stations and a total of 66 indecent expressions were recorded by 36 individuals.

The 66 indecent expressions are made up of Insulting and Offensive comments; Unsubstantiated allegations; Inciting violence; Gender-specific insults; Expressions or Comments promoting Divisiveness; and expressions promoting Prejudice and Bigotry.

The 36 individuals who made the indecent expressions featured on the radio programmes as hosts, discussants/panelists, interviewees, and a texter.

The NDC within this period recorded the highest number of indecent expressions (27) with NPP and United Front Party (UFP) recording 13 and 3 indecent expressions respectively.

16 out of the 35 radio stations monitored recorded indecent expressions. Accra-based Power FM recorded the highest (22) indecent expressions on three of its major programmes – Inside Politics (15), The Battle Grounds (6), and Dwaboase (1).

Ahotor FM also based in Accra, recorded seven (7) indecent expressions on its morning show titled Adej kye mu nsem.

Accra-based Oman FM followed with six (6) indecent expressions while Kumasi-based Fox FM and Accra-based Okay FM recorded five (5) abusive expressions respectively.