Following the backlash that greeted the arrest of Kwabena Bobie Ansah, a presenter with Accra FM – a radio station affiliated to opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), a well-known journalist with Daily Guide newspaper Charles Takyi-Boadu has shared his thoughts about happenings in the media.
A statement from the police on Friday (11 February) said: “Kwabena Bobbie Ansah of Accra FM was arrested yesterday, February 10, 2022, by the Accra Regional Police Command in connection with an alleged case of publication of false news and offensive conduct.
“His arrest became necessary after he turned down several invitations from the police to him and others involved in the case to assist with investigation. The Accra Regional Police Command will issue a full statement on the matter in due course.”
Former president John Mahama in an open letter to Akufo-Addo, which was posted on Facebook said: “This is a dangerous blueprint you are fashioning for our dear nation and it must not be encouraged. Your actions as President have totally discredited your self-acquired accolade as a human rights lawyer and activist. Ghana has long emerged from the unfortunate past where journalists were cowed by incarceration and brutalization.
“I fear that if you do not take immediate action to arrest this unfortunate trend, when you exit the high office of President in January 2025, freedom of speech and a free media will certainly not be counted as part of the legacy you leave behind.”
In an opinion piece shared on his Facebook wall, Takyi-Boadu said: “I support every effort and move to sanitise and rid our airwaves of some of these empty barrels who have assumed untouchable statuses and talk as if the country belongs to them.”
Below is the full piece:
Journalism is not under attack; it is the foolishness in the profession that is being cured.
We have allowed this nonsense of media tyranny to fester for far too long for fear of people shouting political persecution.
Lots of journalists are critical of government and are not invited by the police for questioning or sued because they know that the very constitution of Ghana that makes provision for freedom of speech, also talks of limitation to powers.
So if u go and sit on radio and make spurious and frivolous allegations u can’t susbtantiate and think when u are arrested the political sycophants will come and back u by shouting press freedom or journalism is under attack, then continue cos the laws of Ghana havent change.
I support every effort and move to sanitise and rid our airwaves of some of these empty barrels who have assumed untouchable statuses and talk as if the country belongs to them.
Ghana belongs to all of us and we can’t have a few keyboard and.microphone gangsters to hold the entire nation to ransom for political expediency.
Source: Daily Mail GH
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