The Ghana Journalist Association (GJA) has berated the Kumasi Traditional Council for ordering Oyerepa FM to shut down.
In a statement issued by its general secretary, Kofi Yeboah, the GJA indicated that the council ordering the private radio station to shut down was excessive.
It added that the action of the chiefs was upfront to Ghana’s democracy and the freedom of the press.
“The GJA has been monitoring events in the past two days regarding the shutdown and is deeply concerned about the action of the Kumasi Traditional Council which has the tendency to erode the gains of the country’s fledgling democracy.
“The GIA believes that although Nananom (chiefs) may have been disturbed by the comments made by Odike on Oyerepa FM, they could have used other means to address the matter than one that disturbs the cation's democracy and press freedom,” parts of the statement read.
“We wish to underline the fact that the media and chieftaincy have a critical role to play in national development. Rightly so, the 1992 Constitution has made elaborate provisions for the operations of the two institutions with the view to encouraging them to use their respective powers to promote national development.
“However, the GJA is worried about recent developments of which traditional authorities are descending heavily on the media,” it added.
The association further stated that it will be meeting the Kumasi Tradition Council on Monday, August 29, 2022, after an initial attempt to meet them to address the decision of the council to shut down Oyerepa FM failed.
The acting president of the Kumasi Traditional Council, Baffour Amankwatia VI, ordered Oyerepa FM to shut down its operations in the Ashanti Region, effective August 26, 2022, until they purge themselves of allowing the founder of the United Progressive Party (UPP), Akwasi Addai, a.k.a. Odike, to berate the chiefs on their platform.
In an interview on Oyerepa Radio, Odike rebuked the chiefs for failing to help end the ‘galamsey’ menace.
He went ahead to urge the youth to rise and demonstrate against the chiefs if the traditional rulers fail to come clean on their roles in or stance against illegal mining.
Earlier, the Kumasi Traditional Council performed rituals to banish Akwasi Addai, who is popularly known as Odike, for accusing Ashanti chiefs of condoning illegal mining.
According to the Kumasi Traditional Council, the businessman turned politician made inciteful statements that the Council deemed to be distasteful, unsubstantiated, and meant to dent the image of Manhyia.
The chiefs slaughtered a ram as part of the rituals to banish him.
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Albert Dwumfuor, GJA president