Be responsible in reportage — NMC
The Chairman of the National Media Commission (NMC), Mr Kabral Blay-Amihere, has called on journalists and media practitioners to be responsible in their reportage before, during and after the Supreme Court judgement on the election petition.
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He said that was crucial to avoid situations that could jeopardise the peace and stability of the country.
Speaking at a Media Peace Summit in Accra yesterday, Mr Blay- Amihere urged journalists to help protect the gains of the country by being more responsible.
The one-day summit was organised by the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and the NMC in collaboration with the Ghana Gas Company.
It was aimed at sensitising journalists to the need to be circumspect in their reportage during and after the Supreme Court ruling on the election petition.
Mr Blay-Amihere said as journalists, it was incumbent on them to operate within the confines of the law and must be circumspect in their reportage.
He reminded the journalists that “the NMC had some residual powers and would be willing to test them, if someone tempts the commission”.
He explained that the law empowered the NMC to sanction recalcitrant journalists contrary to the assertion that it had no such mandate.
The President of the GJA, Mr Affail Monney, said the pursuit of media freedom without responsibility, especially at this time, would be a dangerous extravagance and at odds with national peace and security interests.
He urged journalists to be mindful of the fact that Article 164 of the 1992 Constitution imposed national security and public order restrictions on media freedoms guaranteed under Articles 162 and 163.
He explained that it was within that context that the National Security Co-ordinator met the Chief Executive Officers of Radio and TV Stations last Wednesday.
He said, unfortunately, some reports on that meeting were full of factual inaccuracies.
“To set the records straight, the media heads did not reach any consensus to ban phone-ins or discussions on the Supreme Court Verdict,” he said.
The former General-Secretary of the GJA, Mr Bright Blewu, also appealed to journalists to help maintain the peace and stability that the country enjoyed.
He said that should not be a wishful thinking but must be seen to be done.
“We should not slip into violence when we want to resolve issues,” he advised.
By Michael Donkor/Daily Graphic/Ghana
