 GOVERNMENT AND MEDIA |
 The new government and the media policy |
The Ghanaian media under the new administration of the NPP is assured to finally experience press freedom.
For more than two decades the media in Ghana were subjected to countless harassments, arrests and detentions, torture and even murder for what past regimes considered unpalatable editorial content. From the Nkrumah, Acheampong and most recently the Rawlings’ (P)NDC regimes journalists, publishers and editors suffered greatly for their professional opinions.
Even after 1992 when the Newspaper Licensing Law was repealed and media pluralism took Ghana by storm, the harassment continued. Under the NDC government, journalists whose writings were considered a threat to NDC ministers and party functionaries were bombarded with lawsuits in a bid to cripple the media.
It is worth noting that the harassment was targeted at the private media for they were the ones who were critical of the NDC government and thus perceived to be the enemies. In most cases, these budding newspapers could not pay the outrageously heavy fines and were hauled off kicking and screaming to jail to serve long sentences under cruel conditions. The obnoxious Criminal Libel Law, a colonial law used to punish journalists was maintained and employed to cow journalists into submission.
Some of those who suffered included leading journalists, George Naykene, Eben Quarcoo, Tommy Thompson (he died shortly after serving one of the many jail sentences), Kweku Baako Jnr., Harruna Attah, Kofi Coomson and Kwesi Pratt Jnr. The list is endless.
Today, the media in the era of positive change is enjoying a breath of fresh air. For one thing, the NPP government has promised and in fact began the parliamentary process to repeal the monstrous Criminal Libel Law and pass a Freedom Of Information Act. It has also dismissed a criminal libel suit brought against editors of the Ghanaian Chronicle, Kofi Coomson and Eben Quarcoo of the Free Press by Former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings.
A Supreme Court judgment on the case in which the two had allegedly accused the First lady of drug trafficking was halted by the new Attorney General, Hon. Nana Akufo-Addo days before it was to be passed. Nana has said it is important to repeal the criminal libel law not merely to promote the liberal policies of the NPP but also to bring,” true meaning to the rights to freedom of expression and accountability of all organs of government and the people”.
But while the painstaking process is taking place the media is nevertheless operating in a much freer atmosphere than it has in a long time. The NPP government has gone out of its way to court the media, giving it more than just a peek into government programmes, plans and policies.
When President J.A Kufuor held a press conference to mark his first 100 days in office, something that former President Rawlings never did during his 19-year rule it was not just the media that hailed it as the first step towards creating an open policy with the media. The public generally agreed that it would help remove the fear and intimidation that has dominated the media landscape and the entire country over the last 19 years.
Gifty Affenyi-Dadzie, President of the Ghana Journalist Association GJA), commented on the decision to remove the criminal libel law from our statute books during this year’s celebration of World Press Freedom day: “with the Kufuor’s Administration commitment to repeal the criminal law ,it is important more than ever for journalists to use this freedom responsibly”.
At that same celebration, Kofi Badu, veteran journalist and Former Managing Director of the Daily Graphic noted that now it is much easier for journalists to get access to information, particularly from ministers, government officials and institutions than under the previous administration where everything was shrouded in secrecy.
Ghanaian journalists are no doubt thrilled about the prospect of enjoying freedom. However the focus is to ensure that this is not abused. Both the GJA and the National Media Commission have called on the media not to take this newfound freedom for granted.
The GJA plans to set up a media monitoring team
to ensure that journalists remain accountable and
responsible. The words of Kofi Badu on the need
to strike a balance between freedom and responsibility
sums it up perfectly; “let us live up to President
Kufuor’s pledge of zero tolerance for corruption
with a zero tolerance for irresponsible journalism.” |
| A BOOST TO MEDIA FREEDOM |
The Minister of State (Media Relations), Ms Elizabeth Ohene, has indicated that the government will not interfere with the work of the state-owned media.
She noted that even though the government expects the state media to function in a way so as to help to articulate its vision and policies and in general enhance communication with the people, it was the expectation of the government that this would be done with the utmost sense of professionalism and competence by the media.
Ms Ohene gave the assurance of governmental non-interference in the work of the state media at a meeting with Chief Executives and Editors of state-owned media recently held in Accra.
The GRAPHIC regards the assurances of the Minister for Media Relations as a step in the right direction and, therefore, a commendable move which would contribute to inject more efficiency and dynamism into the state media, facilitate freedom of expression and media pluralism and contribute positively to the forging and sustenance of a healthy partnership between the government and the media for the benefit of the society.
We note with sadness and regret recent attempts by some sections of the media calculated to pit the government against the state media and in particular the false labelling of some state media practitioners whose dismissals they openly advocated.
But the assurances show clearly the disinterest of the government in the pursuit of such an illegal and heavy-handed agenda, and its faith in the competence and integrity of such media.
Whilst we are aware that the 1992 Constitution, the supreme law of land, insulates the state media from governmental interference and control by vesting such powers and responsibilities in the National Media Commission (NMC), we nevertheless find the expressed desire of government not to meddle in matters of the state media (even though it could do so to varying degrees through the backdoor) as a mark of maturity and respect for press freedom.
We think that if carried to its logical conclusion, such a stance would undoubtedly enhance free expression, plurality of views and opinions representing the broad diversities of society as a whole and consolidate and further advance the nation’s democratic culture for which great sacrifices have been made.
There can be no doubt about the useful role the state media, in our context as a developing nation, could play in serving as a tool both for relaying government policy to the people and bringing the views and opinions of the people to the government. Whilst the former would almost always find favour with government, the latter might not always be so and indeed would be critical some occasions.
This is where the call of the GRAPHIC on the government as expressed by its editor at the meeting yesterday, to tolerate such contrary views and opinions without necessarily seeing them in negative light, comes into focus.
By developing a thick skin and a high level of tolerance to take the contrary view points, which we advocate should be done in a constructive spirit, the government would not only pick up useful lessons of where and what it has not done right and thus rectify such mistakes and move forward but also pass the critical test of good governance essential for maintaining the trust of the people and the nation’s democratic dispensation.
The GRAPHIC sees in this disposition a challenge on all media practitioners and those in the state media in particular to endeavour to let their work be firmly established on the positive attributes of objectivity, fairness, truth and balance that are crucial to their professional integrity.
In so doing, we in the media would both be supportive
of government as well as putting it on its toes
and thus contribute positively to our democracy
and to overall national development rather than
being unduly adversarial. |
