World Press Freedom Day: Journalists Must Intensify  Efforts To Fight Against Illegal Mining-Gifty Afenyi-Dadzie

"Subsequent development has shown that the beneficiaries of galamsey are very powerful and would not easily give up irrespective of the danger to our water bodies and environment. 

"It is relevant to remind ourselves that based on the happenings we know now, the agenda to stop galamsey should be treated as a major existential threat that should go beyond the coalition that first highlighted the menace," she said

Mrs Afenyi-Dadzie believes that all media houses should continually highlight the challenges until the menace is brought to a minimum.

Already, according to her, all of the media practitioners are paying far more for water because of the pollution suffered by  the water bodies and the increasing cost to the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) in treating the water for our houses and industries.

Mrs. Afenyi-Dadzie expressed these sentiments when she addressing the gathering to mark this year’s World Press Freedom Day held in Accra on Wednesday May 3, 2023.

The GJA President and the Executive, Minister of Information, National Media Commission, Ministers of State, Honourable Members of Parliament, UNESCO Country Representative, UN Co-ordinator, Chief Executives of Media Houses and other organizations, GIBA, PRINPAG, ASWIM, Representatives of Civil Society Organisations and Traditional rulers have graced the occasion.

According to him, the peaceful co-existence of religious groups is anchored in the right of citizens to express themselves in a way they find appropriate to express their beliefs. 

She recalled that the Kumepreko, Let my vote count and the picketing by individual bond holders are all underpinned by freedom of expression even if particularized as freedom of assembly.

Mrs. Afenyi-Dadzie mentioned that the 

freedom of speech on our radio stations and the numerous newspaper publications bear testimony to the fact that Ghana is making tangible progress in democratic governance.

She maintained that the progress in the field of Freedom of Expression notwithstanding, I believe there are areas involving the media that require a more sober reflection.

She pointed out that the media has been given a responsibility by the 1992 Constitution of the Republic to demand accountability, adding that the Article 162 clause 5 is explicit that the mass media shall uphold the responsibility and accountability of the Government to the people of Ghana.

"Based on what we know now in terms of our developmental challenges, it is my expectation that the Ghanaian media shall develop a stronger interest in the economic management of our dear nation and demand answers to nagging issues including corruption and incompetence which have the potential to roll back our advancement as a country. 

"A major drain on the country’s finances is the performance, or rather non performance, of our state owned enterprises. Instead of contributing to the nation’s revenue, a high number of such enterprises continue to incur huge losses that are invariably borne by the taxpayer," Mrs Mrs. Afenyi-Dadzie.

According to the 2020 STATE OWNERSHIP REPORT released by the Ministry of Finance, State Owned Enterprises recorded a 2.6 billion Ghana cedis loss in 2020. As a country we need a frank conversation on the performance of our state owned enterprises to really understand what the issues are and the best way forward. 

Still on the management of the economy, we need to reflect also upon the mandate of Parliament in holding the Executive to account.  

"My candid opinion is that Parliament while doing well in some areas of their mandate has not been able for whatever reason(s) to effectively play its role as a countervailing force to the Executive. A stronger collaboration between Parliament and the media would be a healthy way of keeping the Executive on its toes especially in between elections," she said.

"In examining the constitutional provisions on freedoms, one comes across the phrase ‘subject to the rights of others and the national interest’. The heat is already building up towards the 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections," she noted.

According to her, the  peace of our dear nation needs to be safeguarded. One of the surest ways to plunge a country into chaos is inflammatory language.

She stressed that the media should play its gate keeping role so well that decency shall become paramount in the conduct of people that seek the mandate of the electorate to rule.

She was convinced that media owners need to seriously reflect on the acquisition of delayed broadcast equipment to help sieve the contributions of those who call-in to programmes to make one contribution or the other as well as a panelist who goes overboard to throw a bomb.

 

"One other organ that could help sanitize the political campaign environment is the GJA’s Ethics and Disciplinary Council which is mandated to promote high ethical standards among members of the Association in the performance of their duties , enforce the GJA code of ethics, and investigate allegations of unprofessional conduct and ethical breaches of the Association.Increasingly social media has assumed prominence and high patronage in Ghana. 

"A challenge that goes beyond the GJA and which must be of paramount interest to all of us is how do we deal with the excesses of social media especially in approaching the election year," Mrs. Mrs. Afenyi-Dadzie said.

She maintained that it is true that most ideas generated in the public sphere are about sport, culture, fashion, gossip and commerce, explaining that "We know for a fact however that in an election season, many more will use social media to articulate their views on politics."

 She stressed that "We do not need new laws to regulate social media but the GJA working with all the relevant stakeholders can monitor the public sphere and promote key ethical considerations for reflection."

According to her, it is said that an unexamined life is not worth living and I want to give a special charge to the GJA National Council to reflect on the conduct of our members in recent years and to deal with potential breaches that could spark election violence.

"God has been merciful to us as a country in the eight general elections held so far in the dispensation of the 4th Republic. We must not assume that we would continue to have peaceful elections without a proactive and conscious determination by all the critical players: Political Parties, Candidates, Media, Civil Society Organisations, the Police, the Electoral Commission and other institutions to do what is right in consolidating the democratic credentials of our country. 

"Actors must not only be fair but should also be seen as fair by all interested parties.

Excessive politicisation by the Media is a real threat to our democracy as it also leads to a downplay of the Media’s demand for accountability from all the political actors," she stressed.

She stated that equalization cannot be the way forward for our beloved country.

She entreated the co-operation of all the distinguished personalities gathered here today for a successful programme.