Speaker Bagbin speaks against the recent persecution of Journalists in Ghana

The Speaker of Parliament, the Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin has bemoaned what he called the “persecution” of some Ghanaian Journalists in recent times and has admonished the public to rather report conducts of media practitioners to the National Media Commission (NMC).

His comments come in the wake of recent developments in Ghana where a number of journalists have been invited by the police out of which some of them have been incarcerated for various offences.

Speaker Bagbin made the comment on Friday, February, 18 2022 when he commissioned an ultra-modern office centre for the Parliamentary Press Corps in Parliament.

“Those who are so offended by such write-ups know what recourse they have. I am not for a moment holding brief for irresponsible and unprofessional conduct of journalists. I am simply saying that there is a cure for that in our current legal regime”.

He said, “The increasing tendency on the part of the police to arrest journalists for what they described as mistakes is old school, anachronistic and is sending this country back into the dark ages of media persecution”.

According to him, the police cannot assume responsibility for responsible media practice in Ghana by scanning newspapers and news portals and arresting journalists for errors and misrepresentations.

“I daresay that any attempt by any politician, hiding behind the police institution, to act as the standard bearer of ethical and professional journalism, or the regulator of journalism practice, is not only a pretender but also megalomaniac,” Speaker Bagbin noted.

He said “often times, in our quest as journalists to disseminate the information we have in a timely manner to beat the deadlines set for us, we make some mistakes. Our information at times do not turn out to be entirely accurate. We end up making some misrepresentations, at times impugning on the integrity and reputation of others”.

On the issue of improving reportage on Parliament, Speaker said, the executives of the Parliamentary Press Corps, working with the Public Affairs Department, “have a way of admitting journalists assigned to Parliament. I urge the executives to continue to ensure that as much as possible, very qualified and professional journalists with good experience are available to report on proceedings of the House”.

He also urged the editors and news chiefs in the various media houses to assign very experienced reporters to Parliament and make conscious efforts to keep them there for a considerable number of years to enable them learn the ropes so they can produce excellent reports.

The Vice Dean of the Parliamentary Press Corps, Stephen Odoi-Larbi who represented the Dean assured that, Journalists reporting from the House will continue to exercise decorum and maximum circumspection in order “to help build a good image for Parliament. But we also need the Leadership of Parliament to help improve our working environment”.

He used the occasion to remind Leadership of Parliament on training workshops Parliament and the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) have been holding for them which he said has also truncated for some time now.

He recounted the fact that, “for some years now, the annual workshops that Parliament used to organize for members of the Parliamentary Press Corps have ceased, and we have not been given any explanation why”.

He however disclosed that, they are currently in talks with the Director of Public Affairs, and the Clerk-to-Parliament for an orientation workshop for members of the corps. He appealed to the Speaker to intervene and assist in fast-tracking this process.