Former General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party, Kwabena Agyapong, says Ghanaians must not turn blind eye to killings in the country particularly Journalists whose lives have been taken in the line of duty.
He made the observations on the back of the abysmal performance in which Ghana dropped 30 places from 2021 to rank 60th on World Press Freedom Index 2022 with a score of 67.43.
Ghana has also dropped significantly on the continental ranking for the safety of journalists.
African countries ahead of Ghana include Namibia, South Africa, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone, Gambia and Niger.
Ahmed Hussein Suale was a member of the Tiger Eye PI team that exposed the rot in Ghana football, leading to the resignation of the President of Ghana Football, was murdered by unknown assailant in Accra.
“It is a worry and we need to put pressure on our security agencies, our intelligence gathering network and find out why they have not been able to unravel some of these things. Many times in this country murders happen and no one gets to know who really did it.
“Again (some happened) even as far back as 1982 nobody really got to the bottom of the matter. It’s something that we have to improve as a nation and patriots. The Journalist has a major role to play. Don’t want to justify what has happened but Journalists have up their game,” he told Francis Abban on GHOneTV State of Affairs show Thursday May 5, 2022.
He, however, bemoaned the unprofessional conduct by some journalists and how they allow insults and character assassination in the media space.
“When you listen to the radio, noise and attack and insults people may think that you make a mark as a politician by how venomous you can be on radio or television. That’s completely unwarranted. You have to show civility.
“You hear attacks and direct insults on the President, Chiefs and it happens across all the political parties. Sometimes senior political fingers. Some chairmen sit on National television and use unprintable words unethical and they are cheered on.”
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Isaac Dzidzoamenu
