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NMC Chair, Yaw Boadu Ayeboafo, highlighted the critical role of media practitioners in peace-building, urging them to approach their coverage responsibly, as their reporting can either escalate tensions or promote reconciliation.

Speaking at a training workshop in the Ashanti Region, Mr. Ayeboafo emphasized the media’s responsibility in shaping public perception and fostering peaceful coexistence.

“An issue affecting any part of Ghana impacts all of us,” he said.

“We cannot sit in Kumasi or Accra and think we are unaffected. A journey might take you through Bolgatanga or even Bawku, where stability is paramount for everyone’s safety. Who would advocate for violence along these routes? Would we avoid places like Bolgatanga just because of conflict in Bawku? You never know when any of us could be affected.”

The workshop, attended by journalists from across the region, aimed to equip them with conflict-sensitive reporting skills, encouraging them to promote dialogue and understanding rather than deepen divides.

Mr. Ayeboafo urged media houses to work with local leaders, peace advocates, and other stakeholders to provide balanced coverage that emphasizes unity and the well-being of Bawku and surrounding communities.

The renewed violence in Bawku follows the return of Seidu Abagre, a rival chief appointed by the Nayiri, who had gone into exile after a February 2023 arrest warrant related to a contested chieftaincy installation in Nalerigu.

However, the warrant was overturned by a High Court in Kumasi on October 17, 2024, facilitating Abagre’s return.

Abagre’s arrival in Bawku on October 26 reignited a long-standing chieftaincy dispute, leading to clashes that left two dead and several injured.

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According to the NMC, the app will allow journalists and citizens to capture and report suspicious activities at polling stations in real time, enabling swift responses.

Speaking after a forum organized by the Institute of Democratic Governance (IDEG) on the theme “Moderating the Airwaves for Peaceful and Credible Elections 2024,” NMC Executive Secretary George Sarpong highlighted the app’s potential to support peaceful elections and safeguard journalists.

“This app will be a game-changer, providing highly accurate information from polling stations across Ghana,” Mr. Sarpong stated.

“In terms of election results, anyone present at a polling station can record and submit footage as results are declared. The system will then verify the authenticity of the submitted content.”

“In the case of any disputes, this tool will provide solid evidence for those seeking to understand what occurred and to address any issues effectively,” he added.

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A public announcement by the NMC has directed owners of the 44 stations to meet with the commission on Thursday, October 31, 2024.

“Owners of the media houses are invited to a discussion with the National Media Commission on the regulatory implications of their broadcast content,” the announcement stated.

The Executive Secretary of the NMC, George Sarpong, in an interview with the Daily Graphic, disclosed that the television stations were cited because they broadcasted content on pornography, indecency, fake lottery, occultism, money doubling claims, and money rituals.

He explained that, the 44 stations were found to have broadcasted the impugned content during a regular joint monitoring by the commission and the National Communications Authority (NCA).

“We have actively been doing media monitoring. The 44 stations were found to have broadcasted indecent and offensive content that negatively affect society, and, therefore, have regulatory implication,” he said.

On what sanctions would be meted out to the 44 stations, Mr Sarpong said the NMC would issue a final warning to them at the October 31 meeting.

“We are going to have a conversation with them. For now, we are going to warn them for the final time. We have given them earlier warnings, and this is going to be the final warning,” he said.

“Moving forward, any station that is not ready to abide by decent content will have itself to blame,” he added.

When asked if that meant a possible revocation of licences, Mr Sarpong said “everything is on the table”.

He explained that the action against the 44 television stations was quite different from the regulatory action the commission was undertaking against media houses that allowed their platforms to be used for hateful speeches that brought about divisions by inciting people

“This category of offences is different from other offences such as hateful speech. With those ones, the punishment is greater and we will not have any kind of dialogue with them, as we are doing with these ones,” he added.

Content regulations

In 2016, the Supreme Court declared as unconstitutional a law that required media owners to seek content approval from the NMC before publication.

The seven-member panel held that certain regulations in the NMC (Content Standards) Regulations 2015 (L.I. 2224) amounted to censorship and contravened Article 162 Clause (4) of the 1992 Constitution.

The regulations required media owners to apply for content authorisation, submit programme guide and content for approval, and to go by a set of rules stipulated by the NMC or in default pay a fine or serve between two and five years in jail.

Not happy with that aspect of L.I. 2224, the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA) dragged the NMC and the Attorney-General to the apex court, leading to the court decision.

Mandate

However, Mr Sarpong explained that despite the court’s decision, the NMC still had the mandate to sanitise the media space, disagreeing that its current move amounted to censorship.

He said the commission had taken the current action in partnership with the NCA, which had the legal backing to revoke the licences of broadcast media houses that violated the NCA Act.

“Now, what we are doing is that the NCA has provisions in their Act, upon which they can revoke the licences of broadcasting stations. The current approach is that we are using our own inherent powers and the laws given to the NCA to address these issues,” he said.

Mr Sarpong said the judgment by the Supreme Court made it difficult for the country to strengthen its regulatory framework to ensure that vulnerable groups such as children were protected from certain offensive media content.

He said many countries had enacted legislations that had sanitised the media space, and also protected the right of the media to educate, inform and entertain the public.

“We accept and respect the judgment of the court, but we disagree with the reasoning. A lot of the problems that you see in the media are as a result of that decision by the Supreme Court,” he added.

He says although media houses have their own different ideological political interests, there should be standards or conventions set by regulators.

For him, standard-setting is not only important for media houses as organisations, but also for individual journalists who have a commitment to upholding the principles of ethical practice.

Speaking on JoyNews’ Change Speaker Series VII on Saturday, May 11, he said, “So that we know the difference between news and opinion. So that when we are reporting, say a rally, if it’s an NDC rally, the NPP press won’t say that the numbers were small and say all the negative things. We, the public, may not even know what was actually said at the rally because that is not their interest. Their interest is to denigrate the events and then take our minds off from whatever may have been said and vice versa.”

According to him, establishing standards for news reporting that prioritise good values would help to clarify the distinction between news, opinion, and commentary.

“So when we are able to set these standards and show that, in news reporting, if the number is 100 across board for everybody, it’s the same as reporting a football match. So once we have trained the sports writers, they may support Hearts or Kotoko, but if the match is reported, the report is the same. The goal was scored in the 54^th minute, they are not going to say, it was scored in the 30th minute because that’s what you wish would have happened. And then after that, you can use other interviews and all that to establish other opinions.”

He proposed that media houses should focus on providing specialised training to at least a number of journalists who can serve as election experts.

“If we know that over a period of time, we have trained people who we know will become our eyes and ears within the media houses and they take pride in saying that, the same way as we have got financial reporters and they are very faithful about what they are doing, we need to train some people, not only as political reporters but as election reporting specialists.

“I’m saying this because the objective of the training must be that in the end, the peace that we want to prevail, the fairness that we want to prevail will become their objective.”

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This plea comes following concerns raised by Joseph Osei-Owusu, the Chairman of Parliament’s Appointments Committee, who expressed worry about the deliberate distortion of information by a group of individuals in the media commonly referred to as ‘bloggers.’

Mr Osei Owusu also expressed his distress over the continuous mistreatment of prominent figures in the country by certain media personnel across various platforms.

During her vetting on Friday, March 8, 2024, Fatimatu Abubakar emphasised the importance of the NMC intensifying its enforcement efforts.

“The National Media Commission has the authority, and I urge them, and we will support them in enhancing enforcement.

“By doing so, the public will be assured that perpetrators will be held accountable for any infractions,” she stated.

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Mr. Ayeboafo has attacked the GJA’s directive, describing it as “dysfunctional and unproductive” in the public interest.

He promotes using legal avenues to combat acts of impunity against journalists.

In an interview with Citi FM on Monday, the NMC Chair reaffirmed his position, claiming that the order was neither democratic nor effective in dealing with journalist assaults.

“The thing is that boycotting or blackout is something that is not part of normal democratic culture. It is only when everything possible through the rule of law has broken down [that you adopt such measures]. But sometimes it may result in impunity… It is not the most efficacious tool in dealing with attacks on journalists.” he said

Albert Dwumfour of the GJA rebutted the NMC Chairman’s stance, saying the association would not stand by while journalists were assaulted.

Meanwhile, the Executive Director of the Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA), Mensah Thompson, has strongly criticized Mr. Ayeboafo for his opposition to the directive issued by the GJA.

During an interview on Breakfast Daily with David Kwaku Sakyi on February 12, 2024, Mr. Thompson expressed disappointment with the Chairman’s comments.

Mr. Thompson characterized Ayeboafo as a failed journalist who had refused to acknowledge the assaults against his former colleagues.

“So, you people, they are beating you, they are not paying you well, they are disrespecting you, you rise to the position when you can take decisions to protect your fellow members, look at the ridiculousness of the things he is saying.”

“That I should sit down for somebody to come to my house, come and attack me, come and beat me to a pulp, the following day I should give the same person a platform to come and talk, according to this man, a former journalist, he should be ashamed of himself.” he said.

Yaw Boadu Ayeboafo described as “dysfunctional and unproductive” recent calls by the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) for media houses to blacklist two politicians allegedly associated with persons who attacked journalists.

Citi FM’s Northern regional correspondent, Mohammed Aminu Alabira was allegedly attacked by the Member of Parliament for Yendi Constituency, Farouk Aliu Mahama, while covering the NPP’s parliamentary primaries.

Also, persons suspected to be supporters of the MP for the Awutu Senya East Constituency, Mavis Hawa Koomson, are also accused of attacking a journalist in the Central region.

According to Mr Braimah, considering the NMC Chair started as a journalist, rose through the ranks and also served as a member of the GJA, the comments were wrong.

Speaking in an interview on Joy FM’s Midday News on February 12, he said “Absolutely,  it is actually a very very unfortunate statement. It ought not to have come from someone like Mr Yaw Boadu Ayeboafo, who has been a journalist, who has been an editor, who has been a leader at the GJA before and has before now been the Executive Secretary of the National Media Commission and he is a lawyer .

“He knows what the constitution says about press freedom. He knows how our standards of press freedom have been deteriorating over time.”

The Executive Director of MFWA explained that Mr Ayeboafo’s comments might confirm suspicions among people that he does not want to challenge the government, given that his appointment as NMC chair was by the government. 

“In fact, during his tenure as Chairperson of the National Media Commission things have gotten worse. And people then will say is the NMC not acting because the government of the day is the one that appointed him to represent the president on the National Media Commission and that is the question that people are beginning to raise.

“That is it because he is the representative of the president and got elected by his peers as the Chair and therefore he will not be happy with actions that sort of against persons in the party of the president as in the case of Hawa Koomson and Farouk Mahama,” he added.

Meanwhile, Mr Braimah advised the NMC Chair to allow other institutions to function without hindrances.

“My advice to him is if he would not lead the NMC in the way that will give us results. He should not be impeding actions by other organisations to try and do what the NMC must be doing which it is not doing,” he added.

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The NMC was referring to the role the Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, and the Attorney-General, Godfred Dame, played in ensuring the arrest and prosecution of the NPP thugs.

According to the NMC, the duo could have ignored the invasion of UTV as it was instigated by their party members; instead they chose to protect media freedom through their actions.

The NMC said their actions are a novelty and must remain the standard going forward.

“There is novelty in the courage of a sitting Minister, a Member of Parliament and an active politician in reporting members of his own party to the police for invading a TV station. This must signify a new beginning towards addressing questions of the safety of journalists.

“He and the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice had a choice. And they elected to exercise that in favour of media freedom. That behaviour sets a new standard by which government action must be judged into the future. We must hold the Ministers bound by this worthy precedent and define it as the standard by which we expect all future Ministers to act,” the NMC said in a statement.

The NMC added that the speed of the trial was also testament to the commitment of the Chief Justice and the judiciary to upholding press freedom.

“It is also important to acknowledge the police for arresting, investigating and prosecuting the offenders. Perhaps one positive aspect of the police action that requires to be highlighted is the responsiveness and professionalism of the commander of the Tesano Police and his team,” the NMC added.

The commission stressed that the public outrage that followed the invasion “indicate to us the values Ghanaians cherish in our democratic space and the level of decency required of us all.”

The commission stated that while there have been concerns regarding the leniency of the punishment meted out to the thugs by the court, it is an indication that the country is progressing in the right direction towards the eradication of political impunity against journalists and the media as a whole.

“As a result, we call on all who care about the safety of journalists to see the conclusion of this case as the first step towards reversing impunity.  We believe our collective commitment to the Coordinated Mechanism on the Safety of Journalists will ultimately create a safer space for the practice of journalism in Ghana,” the NMC concluded.

The invaders who are believed to be sympathizers of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) went to demand an apology from pundits on the show for their “constant attacks against government”.

This resulted in a scuffle bring the show to an abrupt end. The police intervened and arrested 16 people who are currently assisting with investigations.

Reacting to the incident on Monday’s edition of Dwaso Nsem on Adom FM, Mr. Braimah said NMC has failed in its mandate to protect journalists.

He indicated that, scarcity of resources should not be the Commission’s excuse for not doing its job.

“Even if you [NMC] lack the resources, what is the little you are doing because you are paid? If you don’t have a common website what does that say,” the MFWA boss bemoaned.

He also raised concerns about how the invaders got to the studios.

“It’s surprising that the studio invaders crossed the front desk and other security checkpoints,” MFWA boss noted.

Mr. Braimah urged media houses across the country to take security matters seriously.

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According to him, the NMC’s failure to implement measures that ensures the safety of media persons has led to the recent attacks.

“Three years ago we designed a whole institutional mechanism for the safety of journalists and the National Media Commission was then asked to utilize it. All these issues [attacks on journalists] will have ended if NMC had implemented the measures” Mr. Oppong Nkrumah said on Adom FM’s morning show, Dwaso Nsem Monday.

Reacting to the invasion of Accra-based UTV studios, the lawmaker assured that all those arrested will face the full rigours of the law to serve as a deterrent to others.

The Information Minister condemned the action of the youth and pledged government’s commitment to press freedom.

When the incident occurred, Mr. Oppong Nkrumah said he called the police to ensure law and order at UTV.

He also urged the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) to support the Ministry and other stakeholders to safeguard the media.

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This follows an attack on UTV on Saturday evening during its United Showbiz programme.

In a press release, the Commission noted that violence as the preferred method for addressing grievances against the media and journalists does not produce better journalism. 

“This is why the Constitution provides anyone who feels aggrieved by the work of the media the opportunity to seek redress through the complaint settlement mechanism of the National Media Commission.”

“As we approach the electioneering process for Ghana 2024, it is important for political actors and all Ghanaians to learn that the Ghana we envisage would not be built on the path of violent attacks on journalists,” parts of the statement read.

The NMC noted that it will roll out a comprehensive programme to reactivate the “Coordinated Mechanism for the safety of journalists to ensure the media continue to operate without fear”. 

The Commission assured that it is working with the police to address the attack on UTV.

“We assure the public of our cooperation with the Ghana Police Service to get to the bottom of this matter,” it added.

Backkground

On Saturday, October 7, the Police arrested 16 people who allegedly went to the premises of UTV studios to disrupt activities.

The arrest, according to the police, was executed following a complaint from the Despite Media Group and Ministry of Information that the suspects had invaded the studios of UTV.

This was after a noise obstructed the normal programming at the studio shortly after their United Showbiz programme began.

Subsequent online videos showed a group claiming to be affiliated with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) storming the UTV studios during the live broadcast to demand an apology from one of the panelists, A-Plus.

They claimed he had insulted the party, the president and the vice president.

Following their arrest, the host of the show, MzGee, apologised to the viewers for the disruption and assured everyone of their safety.

The Commission said they should not allow their platforms to be used to foment trouble.

In a press release on Sunday, it also asked owners of radio stations to be careful as to who they invite as guests on their shows.

“Consequently, the Commission hereby cautions radio stations and their staff that drastic consequences attend on culpability.

“We call on owners of radio stations in Bawku to adopt stronger gatekeeping measures to ensure that persons with interests in the conflict do not hijack radio stations to foment trouble.

“Owners must be careful who they recruit as programme hosts and which persons are invited as guests on discussion programmes.

“They must remember that they bear ultimate responsibility for whatever happens on their networks,” portions of the release said.

Bawku has been a hotspot for clashes between residents of various ethnic groups.

In August 2022, at least three persons – who are all males – were shot by unknown persons in the community.

A Northern Electricity Development Company transformer was also destroyed during a shooting incident, leaving residents in fear and shock.

The government has on several occasions imposed a curfew on the town to calm tensions and maintain law and order.

However, the conflict has not been resolved.

The Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) has joined the number of institutions that have moved their operations from the town.

SSNIT evacuated its staff and removed furnishings and other items from its office including chairs and air-conditioners on Saturday, October 1, 2022.

Executive Secretary of the NMC, George Sarpong, in an interview with the GNA, said as a constitutionally mandated Institution tasked with the responsibility of settling such cases, engaging the feuding parties is critical in addressing the impasse.

Mr.Sarpong said the Commission would only make any public pronouncement ”after all issues are ironed out and a solution found”.

The Kumasi Traditional Council on Thursday, August 25, 2022, asked managers of Kumasi-based, Oyerepa FM to temporarily suspend operations and apologise to the Manhyia Palace, for allowing the Founder of United Progressive Party, UPP, Akwasi Addai Odike to use their medium to “defame” Chiefs in Asanteman and the Asantehene.

Reports indicate that Oyerepa FM stopped operations on Friday, August 26, 2022, in compliance with the directives from the Council.

The directive comes barely a month after Ada-based FM station in the Greater Accra Region, Radio Ada, was banned by the Ada Traditional Council from covering this year’s Asafotufiami festival.

A 2022 World Press Freedom index released by Reporters without Borders, in May, ranked Ghana 60 among 180 countries, dropping 30 spots from the previous year.

The commitment was made during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the premises of the Ministry of Information on Monday, March 28, 2022.

The landmark project originally meant to be the new home of the GJA, when completed, will host media-related organisations in the country and serve other functions as a multipurpose complex.

It will also contain broadcasting studios, press rooms, an interactive library, conference rooms, office spaces, lettable spaces such as general retail outlets and retail banking outlets.

Present at the signing of the MoU was the Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, President of GJA, Roland Affail Monney, Lead Consultant Harry Sintim-Aboagye, Executive Secretary of the RTIC, Yaw Sarpong Boateng, reps from the NMC and other supporting staff of the Ministry of Information.

Mr. Oppong Nkrumah in his remarks expressed delight at the new project emphasising that when completed, the project will become the new social, economic, and cultural destination for the media in Ghana and Africa at large.

He said the redevelopment of the press center will avoid duplication of efforts and resources by media entities and will allow them to better coordinate their activities.

Mr. Monney on his part emphasised the need to work together as media umbrella bodies stressing that the redevelopment of the International Press Centre will allow them to work in close collaboration in an efficient manner.

According to him, disagreement over the passage of the Bill should never be the cause of the chaotic situation in Parliament that lead to injuries and verbal assaults.

What is necessary at this crucial moment with equal numbers is Parliament is consensus and acceptance in good faith of divergence views.

Mr Ayeboafo was speaking in an interview with GBC News in Kumasi.

The recent misunderstanding in Parliament that has characterised government policies among members of the House has attracted public comments.

While some see it as very healthy for our democracy, others see it as counterproductive, because it mpedes smooth democratic governance.

The NMC Chairman is of the view that it is time the MPs thought about Ghana first before their parties.

On the current composition of equal numbers in Parliament, Mr Ayeboafo noted it is not good for our democracy.

He disagreed with views that one day an opposition could successfully rule this country with lower numbers in Parliament.

“What is happening in Parliament currently is a clear demonstration of a hell to witness under such regime”, Mr. Ayeboafo opined.

The office will become the official source for journalists to file complaints of attacks, validating alleged attacks, following up on investigations and sanctions.

The office, to be operated by the National Media Commission, was commissioned on Monday, May 4, 2021, by the Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah in commemoration of the 2021 World Press Freedom.

Mr Oppong Nkrumah, at the event, reiterated the government’s commitment to support the Ghanaian Press.

He, among other things, mentioned the Media Capacity Enhancement Programme and the provision of tax rebates to media houses.

Complaints can me made at the office through phone calls / personal submissions and in future there are plans to introduce an online service.

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The contact numbers announced are 0592606918/ 0592606924.

He said it was also important for journalists to understand that it was not every truth that must be told, especially if the truth had the potential of breaching peaceful coexistence and causing harm.

Mr Boadu-Ayeboafoh said this during the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA)/USA Embassy Media Convention on Election 2020 in Wa on the theme: “The 2020 Election: Role of the Media in Promoting Civility and Discernment in the Political Discourse”.

The Media Convention on Election 2020 brought together media professionals, political parties, Electoral Commission, National Peace Council and the security agencies to deliberate on matters concerning the principal role of the media in the conduct of free and fair elections in Ghana.

Participants were from the Upper West, Savannah and Bono East Regions.

He noted that in political communication, language was very important since one error could create problems leading to unimaginable damage to lives and property, hence, the need for journalists to guard against replicating bad statements made by politicians.

“If you go out there and people are speaking in a language that is not descent, you have an obligation to reduce devoid of the poison to help build a better society for ourselves. It is a responsibility that we must bear”, the NMC Chairman noted.

Mr Boadu-Ayeboafoh reminded journalists that reporting on elections demanded commitment and understanding of the issues, the concepts, the principles, processes, expectations, emotions and anxieties for effective communication.

He urged journalists to be aware of the sources of electoral information, electoral experts, the philosophy of political parties and the legal framework among others to aid in effective public education and avoidance of very serious errors.

He said the expectation from the media in covering elections would serve as the voice and guardian of voters for them to make informed choices.

Mr Boadu-Ayeboafoh also reminded the media of its obligation to promote good faith towards the political parties, the candidates, the electoral processes and in general help strengthen democracy.

Mrs. Linda Asante-Agyei, Vice President of GJA said the objective of the Media Convention was to bring together key stakeholders including the Electoral Commission (EC), the NMC, the National Communication Authority, the media owners, civil society groups and security agencies to assist the media to inform, educate the electorate, promote free and fair elections and champion the course of civility, dialogue, decorum and discernment in the political discourse.

Mrs. Asante-Agyei noted that the media convention focused on issues such as the ‘GJA Guidelines on Electoral Reporting: Its impact, challenges and review’; ‘NMC media monitoring and complaint settlement, how effective as regulatory tools’, how can election 2020 coverage be insulated’, and ‘attacks on media during elections: causes and effects’.

Mr Osman Ali, the Upper West Regional Director of the EC, noted that the Commission expected the media to educate voters on how to exercise their democratic rights, reporting accurately on the developments of the 2020 election campaign and provide the platform for political parties and candidates, to communicate their message to the electorates among other expectations.

Rev. Dr Aloysius Nuolabong, the Chairman of the Upper West Regional Peace Council appealed to the EC, security agencies, the political parties and the media to play their respective roles effectively to bring about peace in the December 7 elections.

Chairman of the Commission, Yaw Boadu Ayeboafoh, said journalists must be professionals and do their work in the way that they were trained to.

Mr Ayeboafoah gave the caution during the flag-raising ceremony to mark the World Press Freedom Day in Accra.

The event, which was organised by the Ghana Journalists Association, in collaboration with the UNESCO, was on the theme: ‘Journalism without Fear or Favour.’

The annual celebration, which fell on Sunday, May 3, serves as an occasion to inform citizens of the violations of press freedom.

In 1993 the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed May 3 as the World Press Freedom Day following a recommendation adopted at the 26th Session of UNESCO’s General Conference in 1991.

Mr Ayeboafoah said the theme for the celebration meant that journalists should be as objective as they could and as fearless as possible.

“We must watch out against the circulation of information that has not been confirmed. Indeed, it is one of the greatest threats to our profession in the midst of the pandemic….,’’ he said.

“We are not just social media commentators. We are the professionals who are discharging the responsibility of providing information that is necessary for the education of our people. What it means, therefore, is that it is not every information that we see on social media that we must replicate.”

Mr Ayeboafoh noted that journalists were not under any obligation to publish anything that came their way, adding: “If we do that then there is no difference between us and those who have no profession whatsoever. But our claim to freedom is the fact that we serve the interest of our people.”

“We do not owe an obligation to anybody, our primary obligation is to ourselves, to ensure that we live our profession and practice it the way that it is supposed to be practiced so that we continuously remain relevant to the development of our society.”

He said though no one knew the scientific perspective of the genesis of the COVID-19 that should not make journalists buy into any information that came their way without seeking factual clarification of that piece of information before passing it on.

“We ourselves (the NMC) was recently at the end of being bashed with fake information. What was it? That we had banned some mallams and fetish priests from operating on radio and television,” Mr Ayeboafoh said.

“And we had not done any such thing. What bothered us was not about the subtlety of that information. Our problem was the airing of that information on mainstream media who have some means of checking, at least, we know about sourcing,” he added.

He noted that it was the basic requirement in journalism, that journalists must confirm the sources of information.

He said what some of the mainstream media did in that instance was the opposite of the professionalism they had been trained for.

Mr Ayeboafoh cautioned the media to avoid creating mistrust among the public through the dissemination of fake news adding that that was dangerous to the profession.

He said journalists must remain relevant to society at all times.

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Executive Secretary of the Commission, George Sarpong, in a statement said, no such directive had been meted out to fetish priests, therefore, such information must be disregarded.

“The story did not attribute its source to any named person within the Commission thereby raising questions about source credibility,” a statement released by the Commission noted.

READ FULL STATEMENT BELOW:

The NMC ruled that the Joy News documentary on the presence of D-Eye group at the Christiansborg Castle was in the public interest but cites aspects as sensational.

In March this year, the government filed a complaint at the commission against Joy News demanding a retraction and an apology.

The Commission did not grant the reliefs.

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It, however, said a background to the documentary citing the activities of so-called vigilante groups in the country made portions of the story misleading.

The 30-minute piece described how the spectre of violent vigilantism nearly marred the Ayawaso Wuogon by-election.

But the NMC says because the D-Eye Group was not responsible for the disturbances there, it was wrong to have included it in the documentary.

The NMC maintained, however, that it “finds the presence in the Castle of the D-Eye Group problematic and unacceptable.”

Commenting on the ruling, Executive Director of MFWA, Sulemana Braimah, said the ruling did not fully address key issues presented to the Commission.

“The question is: what is the link between when they exited and whether or not the documentary had any association with the President. The three areas that it set out to determine the complaints, did not have anything talking about ethical infractions.

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“That is not to say that if there were issues bordering on ethics then it is important for the Commission to touch on, but that ought to have been stated,” he said.

He said the NMC decision on the matter was not helpful.

“I don’t think it is straightforward to guide journalists and those of in the media industry in terms of making decisions on similar issues going forward,” he said.

Meanwhile, the government has welcomed the ruling.

Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, said “we hold Multimedia in high esteem…we took issue with a particular piece of work that was put out. We are pleased that the key issues that we raised were found to be true by the Commission.”

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Managing Editor of Joy News, Elvis Kwashie, also said the Multimedia Group accepts the NMC ruling but disagrees with it.

“We respect the Commission and we accept the decision but we disagree. There is something in the ruling that says that we linked the President to the operations of the D-Eye Group. We didn’t. All we did was to say that the leader of the group had worked with the President when he wasn’t President. That is the only extent the President came into this conversation. Was the work a misrepresentation? No,” he said.

Source: Myjoyonline.com

The National Media Commission will not have it easy implementing its new rules as regard religious broadcasts on television, radio and social media.

This is because just hours after the rules were made public, General Overseer of Glorious Word Power Ministry International, Isaac Owusu Bempah, has called the bluff of the Commission.

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According to Rev Bempa, the NMC has no right to decide for pastors what prophecies to give or not to give.

For him, Christians deserve to be informed about prophecies, irrespective of the forms in which they may appear to them.

“My prophecies are not lies so you cannot give guidelines and say we are causing fear and panic,” he fumed.

The NMC rules, among other instructions, prohibit religious groups from broadcasting materials that cause fear and panic among the citizenry.

READ ALSO: NMC bares teeth at radio, TV pastors

But according to Rev Bempa, God doesn’t always prophesy good things into the lives of his children.

He said prophecies come through men of God to forewarn particular individuals, a group of persons or a nation of an imminent event which they ought to pray about to avert, citing examples from the Bible.

“Ghanaians need to be aware of the happenings in the country whether good or bad and so we won’t stop broadcasting. Our prophecies rather make them sit up and prepare for the Lord” he said on Neat FM Monitored by Adomonline.com.

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The NMC is asking for the appreciation of the multi-cultural and diversity of religions within society and the need to protect children and vulnerable persons from exploitation.

The Commission says the new rules are expected to ensure sanity within the media space as some religious broadcasters were infringing on the rights of certain groups of people through their broadcasts.

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But Rev Bempah says the guidelines will not see the day of light because he will not bury his gift.

Chairman of the Commission, Nana Kwasi Gyan-Apenteng, who gave the warning insists such pastors must consistent and not cause fear and panic.

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He said his outfit, as a result, has issued 12 rules to guide all religious broadcasts on television, radio and social media.

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The rules, he noted prohibits religious groups from broadcasting materials that cause fear and panic among the citizenry.

“Religious broadcasts that contain manifestations within the healing, deliverance and prophetic ministry should be done with discretion, circumspection and respect for human dignity. This should be especially so in the case of children,” he said.

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Below are the rules by NMC:

The commission in its report following a complaint lodged by Anas Aremeyaw Anas also cautioned the broadcaster to ensure that his programmes meet the required standards.

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The order follows a complaint filed by Tiger Eye Private Investigations against the Mr Kweku Annan and Hot FM, the radio station he works with as host ‘Ghana Must Know’ programme.

The Complaints Settlement Committee of the Commission which investigated the claims determined that Mr Annan abused his professional privileges as a journalist.

“The Committee determined further in taking money with the purpose of tarnishing Anas’ reputation, Mr Annan abused his professional privileges as a journalist, and noted that his activities and behaviour fall short of the ethical standards,” the NMC stated.

The complainant stated that the activities of Mr Annan on his programme “Ghana Must Know” aired on Hot FM falls short of acceptable journalism practice and standards.

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According to Tiger Eye PI comments, Mr Annan consistently made false and derogatory comments on the programme over the period immediately following the airing of a documentary Tiger Eye PI had produced on corruption in Ghana football.

Tiger Eye PI, through its own undercover investigation into Mr Annan’s continuous attack on the team, Anas Aremeyaw Anas and Kweku Baako, revealed Mr Annan was involved in a project purposely to unmask Anas Aremeyaw Anas and to destroy his credibility and that of Kweku Baako.

Mr Annan is said to have requested an amount of GH?35, 000 as an initial deposit to conduct his undercover investigation into Anas’ activities. Unknown to him, the men who paid him a sum of GH?5,000 were with Tiger Eye PI.

Mr Annan through his lawyers had insisted that Mr Anas be made to remove his mask, a request the committee overruled.

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“The Committee was of the view that other established organisations such as the Courts had previously granted Anas the dispensation to appear before them wearing a mask. Importantly also the Committee pointed out that since its proceedings did not necessarily require that complainants or respondents appear before it in person (they could choose to be represented by lawyers), it was immaterial whether or not Anas, or indeed Justice Annan were identified during the hearings.

“There was thus no need to identify the person behind the mask purporting to be Anas before the merits of the case could be heard and decided.”

Tiger Eye PI was represented at the sittings of the Complaints and Settlement Committee of the National Media Commission by its counsel, Sean Kojo Poku.

The commission has however expressed serious concern about verbal abuse and threat received by Anas over his latest investigative piece.

According to the Commission, the situation is disappointing, given that Ghana recently hosted World Press Freedom Day and celebrated media freedom, which is the basis for the successful practice of democracy and sustainable development.

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“The National Media Commission (NMC) finds current discussions regarding the permissible scope and methods of investigative journalism, which have been rekindled by the most recent expose by Anas Aremeyaw Anas healthy and necessary for the qualitative growth of media in support of consolidating Ghana’s democracy.”
NMC noted that independent professional journalism based on independently verifiable facts plays a vital role in the government giving account to the public and also informs the people on the government’s wrongdoings and provides the public with a space to participate in decision making.

NMC advised all administrative justice actors including the police, prosecutors, and judges to ensure journalists and media outlets are protected.

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According to NMC, a society can only grow when it respects ideas and tolerant different attitude and no place for violence.

“The NMC believes that society grows when there is respect for contending ideas and tolerance for differing attitudes. Hence, our nation’s path towards growth has no place for the use of violence in processing claims on society.”

WATCH: VIDEO: We will not be silenced – Anas

The commission also reminds the public that the Constitution provides legitimate avenues for recourse for those who feel wronged by the media

“We, therefore, urge that anybody who has concerns regarding the media, or any journalist and how they carry out their functions, should seek redress at the Commission, in the law courts or through any methods prescribed by Ghanaian law.”

The directive follows a complaint filed by Mr. James Oberko and Mr. Tommy Annan Forson against the stations.

The Commission says it examined the broadcast of the three stations and concluded that the content complained about did not meet the standards of decency required by the Broadcasting Standards of the Commission.

“Section 7 (e) of the NMC Broadcasting Guidelines provides that ‘Actual sexual intercourse between humans should at no time be transmitted,’” said.

The Commission also said the NMC  provision does not admit of any exceptions.

“At the settlement meeting, the three stations apologised and committed themselves to ensuring that there would be no more pornography on their stations. They, however, drew the attention of the Commission to other radio and television stations which they considered to be carrying similarly offensive content,” NMC Chairman, Nana Kwasi Gyan-Apenteng, said in a release.

The Commission has cautioned broadcasting stations and other electronic communications networks to be particularly mindful of the implications of carrying any content which offends public sensibilities.

Those inducted were Mr Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafoh, the Director of Newspapers at the Graphic Communications Group Limited, and Mr Kenneth Agyei Kuranchie, the Editor of the Searchlight newspaper, representing the Office of the President on the commission.

The rest were Mr Yaw Buabeng Asamoah, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Adenta, representing the Majority in Parliament, and Prof. Audrey Gadzekpo, a communications consultant and lecturer at the School of Communication Studies of the University of Ghana, who represents women’s groups.

A fifth member, Mr Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi, the MP for Asante Akyem South, who is one of the members representing the Majority in Parliament, was not present to be sworn into office.

The new representatives now complete the 18-member commission.

Charge

Administering the oath of allegiance and the official oath to the new members, a Justice of the Supreme Court, Mr Justice Anin Yeboah, told them that their success or otherwise would be determined by their performance as regulators of the media industry.

“You must not let the nation down at this critical stage of its development,” he charged them.

He said they were joining the NMC at a time when the media space was expanding exponentially, with its attendant challenges, and noted that the migration from analogue to digital television, in particular, had triggered an “unprecedented explosion of TV channels” and prompted an effective content monitoring more than ever before.

“The dumping of telenovelas and the decline in standards on our screens deserve urgent attention,” he noted.

Unrestrained content

Another issue of grave concern that Justice Yeboah raised had to do with the unrestrained advertisement of alcoholic drinks and products, backed by sexually explicit pictures and messages in the media which, he said, had dire consequences for the moral fibre of the youth.

In that light, he said Article 164 of the Constitution, which imposes national security, national morality and public order restrictions on the media, begged for strict enforcement and expressed the hope that the passage of the Broadcasting Bill into law would strengthen content monitoring and regulation.

He alluded to the attempt by the NMC to assume more regulatory powers which the Supreme Court disallowed and said that should not hinder the commission from diligently enforcing the regulatory powers it was already clothed with to inject sanity and decency in sections of the media.

NMC Chairman

Earlier, the Chairman of the NMC, Nana Kwasi Gyan Apenteng, had said the Commission was currently confronted with what he described as the ‘teeth question’, for which reason many had accused it of not being able to bite as expected.

He stated that those concerns captured two essential elements of media regulation in democratic governance and touched on the Broadcasting and the Right to Information bills which, he said, were in limbo to empower the NMC with the teeth to bite.

Poor working conditions

Nana Apenteng decried the state of the NMC in terms of being the poorest institution created by the 1992 Constitution.

He said it had no permanent office and only a fraction of its budget allocation was often provided, adding that allowances for members were usually several months in arrears, while the salaries of staff needed urgent review.

“We need to emphasise that effective media regulation is an important prerequisite for the enjoyment of free expression and its deployment as a tool of development, transparency and social justice,” he said.

Nana Apenteng said effective, fair and equitable media regulation did not threaten freedoms but that the absence of a well-structured regime of regulation rather posed the threat of undermining the freedom and independence of the media.

On that score, he appealed to the government to prioritise the passage of the Broadcasting and the Freedom of Information bills and other subsidiary laws and regulations that were needed to ensure the enjoyment of media freedom.

Prof. Gadzekpo, on behalf of her colleagues, affirmed their commitment to live up to expectation.

The veteran journalist replaces the Managing Editor of the Insight Newspaper, Mr. Kwesi Pratt Junior, who represented former President John Mahama and the NDC.

Mr. Kenneth Agyei Kuranchie’s appointment, as announced in a letter signed by the information Minister, Mr. Mustapha Hamid is in pursuant of Article 166( 1) (c) of the Constitution of Ghana, which mandates His Excellency President Nana Akufo-Addo to replace his appointee on the Board.