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The Media in Ghana, has been regarded as the fourth arm of government in any sound democratic country around the globe. The Media, and for that matter journalism, has been an instrumental player, providing the platforms to share with the public as well as taking their views on pressing issues of public interest. It is these crucial duties performed by the media that largely informed the public about the current issues and policies of government for them to assess the government on its performance; whether or not the government is delivering on its promises per its manifesto. Speaking on Masem TV Gh on Thursday, the veteran broadcaster, numerated a number of tribulations and intimidations that the media under the Akufo-Addo’s government have to battle with. The veteran broadcaster, Nana Bobbie Ansah added that the Akufo-Addo’s government has trained militants to go after journalists and media houses that are objective and do not allow this government to influence them on their work. Nana Bobbie Ansah listed a number of Radio Stations that have been shutdown based on their works of which the government saw it as a threat and so shut them down. He said ”this is a deliberate attempt by the Akufo-Addo government to put fear into the media from being professional and that the Akufo-Addo government is at war with the Media”. Nana Bobbie Ansah said ”John Mahama has a responsibility to save Ghana from this unprecedented economic hardships and increasing rate of insecurity and that Ghanaians will not forgive John Mahama if he fails to put up the necessary measures in place to save Ghana for the next generations.He recounted a countless brutalities that journalists have gone through in their line of duties. He mentioned the late Ahmed Suale, an investigative journalist with the Tiger PI who, after the famous number 12 expose, a scandal that ostensibly involved high government officials and in the attempt to save these officials led a sitting NPP MP to display his picture (Ahmed Suale) and openly called for people to teach him a lesson as he, the MP promised to bear the consequences. He added that Joy Fm’s investigative journalist, Manasseh Azure had to take cover outside Ghana after his investigative piece that led to uncover the activities of the militant group ”De Eye” operating at the Osu Castle. The Broadcaster said, John Mahama gave the Media and the journalists the needed freedom to exercise their duties and to fully operate even at the time that most of the media houses t were continously singing the chorus of the NPP to erroneously accuse John Mahama as corrupt and incompetent irrespective of the massive infrastructural investments across the country including over thousant CHPS Compounds, E Blocks, a number of International Airports, Modern Hospitals and mass road projects that were been undertaking on a regular basis. Today, worse forms of corruption; the $1.5b PDS fraud, the Gh₵600m budget for NPP communicators, have been a daily living being but the Media cannot bring them out because the government will unleash these militants on you. The veteran broadcaster reiterated that ”John Mahama has shown leadership” and continous to provide policy directions in all sectors of the economy and reminded Ghanaians that they have a communal labour, an obligation as patriotic citizens in 2020 to collectively secure Ghana for the next generations just as our forefathers protected Ghana for our benefits to support John Mahama to lead us in the rescue mission.It will be recalled that John Mahama earlier said that he will immediately abolish the luxury tax that was introduced by the Akufo-Addo government and also cancel the double track system at the SHS level. As part of Mr Mahama’s effort to have everyone’s input in his manifesto dubbed the People’s Manifesto” Mr Mahama has been extensively engaging with all stakeholders of which the recent ones were the Poultry Farmers Association, the Christian Council, the Teacher Unions and the Muslim Leadership. Source: Broadcastergh.com/Ayisah Foster
