The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has asked the media to remain vigilant in its reportage as the December 2024 election beckons.
According to Mr. Bagbin, nothing should influence the media’s report on what is right or wrong and whom it affects as far as the election is concerned.
That, is what the Speaker tells TV3’s Beatrice Adu, would ensure Ghana remains one piece before, during and after the polls.
Although he contends modern trends have made it difficult to define who a media person is, he reemphasised the fact that everyone within the space should take it as a call to duty to give the citizens what the reality on the grounds.
“The media needs no telling because the media knows the role they have to play. It’s just that because of the modern trends and development in the media landscape, it’s not very difficult to define who is a media person because citizen journalists have developed. And so it will be a call to all of us, but more particularly those media practitioners, to do what is right.
“It’s not easy because of lack of logistics, lack of resources and also capacity. But we should all have clear conscience and focus on doing what is right for the country, not individuals, not parties. And the media should do all it can to hold the balance and be very vigilant to come up with what is right and what is wrong,” he admonished.
According to Speaker Bagbin, reporting the rights and wrongs is a necessity “because media shifts minds, and as I said, they make and will make people and society. And so the media is very critical.”
He believes much attention has not been given to the media so far, calling on the government to empower it, rather than leaving it in the care of only the private sector. The media, per the Speaker’s thoughts, should be empowered to put proper check on leadership, making a case for public investment into it.
“It’s an arm of government that we have for some time now not paid much attention to. And I believe the media is not just for private sector because all the goods and services you provide are public goods and services. And so the public should have interest and the public should invest in the media.
“And so we need to really look at the legal framework that we have in the constitution and try to strengthen the media to be able to hold all of us, including myself, to account,” he stated.
He explained that since the government gets its mandate from the people, it owes the responsibility to invest in the media to facilitate its public education to help it carry its programmes and policies.
“Where do the government get their resources from and their mandate? It’s from the people. And so when you are able to get the people that educated and carried along, then it’s easier for the government to implement that programme or policy,” he charged.
Source:onuaonline.com