Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa, Sulemana Braimah, has said media ownership by politicians have negatively affected Ghana’s democratic credentials.
According to him, all they do is to use the platform to champion the cause of their respective political parties.
Citing some radio and television stations owned by politicians of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the opposition, National Democratic Congress (NDC), the MFWA boss said all they have done over the years is to foment trouble.
Politicians over the years have justified why they ought to own radio stations, especially in their respective constituencies.
They also quote Article 162 of the 1992 Constitution which does not discriminate against the ownership of mass media to buttress their point.
But Mr Braimah in an interview on Adom FM’s morning show, Dwaso Nsem Thursday said such ownership is a recipe for disaster.
He maintained that, such political radio and TV stations don’t do things guided by national interest but for political interest.
“These political radio and TV stations are not doing journalism, but political propaganda to serve their parties,” the MFWA boss added.
Mr Braimah stated that, the National Communications Authority (NCA) is doling out frequencies “like bread” to politicians which is impeding Ghana’s democracy.
“Unfortunately, NCA is just serving political cronies and not the interest of the country,” he bemoaned.
Mr Braimah was, however, happy some few media houses including the Multimedia Group are neutral serving the interest of Ghana.
“A media can stand the test of time with the support from the citizenry and Multimedia has this support,” he stressed.
