Media freedom does not mean practise without limitation, former Prez Kufuor states at GJA anniversary launch
Former President J.A. Kufuor has urged the media not to misconstrue media freedom to mean practise without limitation or rules of engagement.
He noted that due to the fact that media practitioners were not required to acquire licences to ply their trade, some journalists had used their media establishments to mislead, intimidate, disrespect, blackmail, defame and castigate individuals and authorities.
Advertisement
He said such activities had caused irreparable damage to people's reputation, ruined the security of states and subverted democracy and human rights and urged practitioners to be well versed in the laws on sedition and defamation to guide their practice.
President Kufuor made the call when he launched the 70th anniversary of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) in Accra yesterday.
The anniversary, on the theme: " Democracy, freedom and independence of the media in Ghana: 70 years of GJA's contribution", will be climaxed with the 2019 GJA Awards in November.
Other activities to commemorate the anniversary include the establishment of a hall of fame by the GJA for outstanding journalists and a forum to discuss the best way to reposition the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) and the Ghana News Agency (GNA) to operate optimally.
Formation of GJA
The GJA was established on August 15, 1949 and was at the time known as the African Press Association.
Throughout the years, it had borne different nomenclature, such as the Ghana Press Club and the Association of Journalists and Writers, until the name was finally changed to the GJA.
Kufuor’s counsel
Mr Kufuor said against the background of the unprofessional use of the media by some practitioners, the establishment of an association such as the GJA was crucial to help curb the excesses of media men and women.
"It must not be forgotten that it is the same rule of law that defines the state and the organs of government, that fixes the inter-relationships of all the entities, including your association and its practitioners, within the jurisdiction of the state.
“None, including the media, is and should be above the rule of law.
The people of Ghana, through the Constitution, have chosen to be governed through multi-party democracy, with the freedom of the citizenry secured through the mechanism of checks and balances among the organs of government.
Central to this mechanism are the principles of transparency, accountability and probity,” he emphasised.
He said the media must be a vanguard respector of the Constitution and all its intents and purposes.
“The media can, therefore, not be exempt from the principles of the Constitution," he said.
Apologise when wrong
Mr Kufuor urged the media to wield their power responsibly, so that they did not endanger the peace of the state.
He reminded the GJA of the abuse of power by the media in Rwanda which led to the bloodbath in that country and said the association needed to monitor its members to ensue that they did not violate the rights of individuals and governments.
He added that the GJA needed to apply disciplinary action against members who flouted rules and regulations and breached the ethics of the profession.
The former President said as watchdogs in society, media reportage on corruption must be done in a fair and accurate manner.
While stressing that the media must do their job without fear or favour, he stated: “If, during your duties, you get something wrong, please be bold and humble enough to accept your shortcomings and apologise for your misreporting. It makes you a more credible journalist, for, to err is human."
Former President Kufuor said the recent killing of Ahmed Suale, a journalist working with Tiger Eye PI, a private investigative establishment, was a pointer to the fact that there was still danger lurking out there, adding that the "evil forces sought to resist the media because the spotlight had been put on their evil activities”.
Advertisement
He said such unfortunate happenings should not break the resolve of the media, adding that "light will surely triumph over darkness".
GJA President
The President of the GJA, Mr Roland Affail Monney, said the GJA had, in the past 70 years, contended with many challenges, such as persecution by brutish military regimes and other crimes committed against journalists by "heartless people".
He acknowledged the work done by journalists in the past, such as Messrs Matthew Therson-Cofie, Fraser Ofori-Atta, Edward Ameyibor and Kwame Gyawu-Kyem, all of whom he described as belonging to the "Old Testament" and said the leadership they provided had kept the association going.
He said two past leaders of the association who belonged to the "New Testament", namely, Mr Kabral Blay-Amihere and Mrs Gifty Affenyi-Dadzie, stood out, as they provided great leadership which had brought the association its present glory.
Advertisement
Mr Monney said the Platinum anniversary offered journalists an occasion to marshall forces to defend press freedom, pointing out that press freedom meant more than the absence of repression.
Eulogising President Kufuor
Mr Monney eulogised former President Kufuor for repealing the Criminal Libel Law, donating a building to the GJA, which currently serves as its secretariat, and also donating a bus to the association when he assumed office as President in 2001.
He said Mr Kufuor promoted press freedom when he was in office by "freeing the space from the shackles that hindered media freedom.”
He described the former President variously as "a President to celebrate, a model to emulate and a democrat to appreciate."
Information Minister
A Deputy Minister of Information, Mr Pius Hadzide, who also addressed the ceremony, assured journalists of a safe environment to enable them to practise in peace.
He urged journalists to be instruments of peace.
Advertisement