News:
Rt. Hon Speaker
February 18, 2022
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin has taken a swipe at the Ghana Police Service over recent arrest of media personnel in the country.
He said the increasing tendency on the part of the police to arrest journalists for what they describe as mistakes is old school, anachronistic and is sending this country back into the dark ages of media persecution.
The Speaker, who was speaking at the launch of the Parliamentary Press Centre on Friday, February 18, 2022 asserts that he is not for a moment holding brief for irresponsible and unprofessional conduct of journalists, but noted that the Constitution duly anticipates that the journalists in their attempts to disseminate information in a timely manner may make 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” hence prescribed a way out including the National Media Commission: “and that is why this country has plethora of laws on the media and free speech”.
“I am simply saying that there is a cure for that in our current legal regime.”
“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.
Mr. Bagbin said the police cannot assume responsibility for responsible media practice in Ghana by scanning newspapers and news portals and arresting journalists for errors and misrepresentations. “Those who are so offended by such write-ups know what recourse they have”, he stated.
Dominic Shirimori/Ghanamps.com