File photo : Journalists
Joham is a city located in the far left of the African continent. It has all the social institutions: political, religious and economic institutions.
The city’s leader was a Machiavellian who was of a sheep character and of a wolf character.
Only what pleased him was to be said of him. Not even his vice had the moral grounds to comment on the least odd decisions he made.
The leader of Joham city did not only see to it that no one criticised him but his cabinet members as well. This brought great fear in the city as members could not voice whatever was wrong in the administration of their city. It was so until something happened.
The leader of Joham city one day noticed that some of his bad rules and body languages had affected his immediate family members. One of his family members had been put behind bars for criticising a supreme court judge.
Not only did one of his family members suffer, but before the leader could realise the direction in which his city was heading towards was too bad.
neighbouring cities are developing and advancing in everything.
Their educational policy is good, technology-excellent, road networks-good, and corrupt individuals are brought to books. It happened in the year 2018 that all city leaders had a summit and Joham's leader was present.
Knowing very well that other cities have taken the lead in development, and not being able to keep his mouth shut, he asked the leader of South Africa; “what is the secret of your development?” He responded, “my critics are my secret for the development you see”.
He added, “authority, whether political, economic, or religious that cannot meet a strong test of rational justification, is illegitimate.” (Noam Chomsky).
Ghana and Journalists
In recent times, Ghanaian politicians have added journalists to their enemies. This friction has existed between these equally important institutions over the years. The genesis of this friction is interesting to note.
Politicians have put themselves high after the pyramid. To them, they are on top of society and need not be criticised. Because it is not everyone who may get the chance to ensure that the right thing is done, journalists who double up as checks and balances for politicians have per their profession the singular duty to do so.
However, in some countries such as Ghana, where press freedom is under serious threat from the judiciary service, journalists are threatened as well.
Some journalists on their duty post are brutalized, others shot dead. Till today, no one has been brought to book.
In a write-up by Azure Manasseh, he writes, ‘the body language of the leader of the country, now (2020) does not communicate protection of journalists', it however promotes the torturing of journalists.
I would want to sound this to the president; ‘Journalists are the eyes of the society', they must be given the maximum protection.
In Joham city, the leader did not allow anyone to speak out, and that led to the city’s doom.
Nana Addo Dankwah Akuffo-Addo, you claim to be a soldier of the law, here you’re on the seat of this great city, and journalists are being tortured. You give politicians security officers to protect them and leave journalists, those who see to it that politicians do what right to lions to feed on them.
Think Ghana, Nana Addo, think media freedom. What becomes of your authority without journalists to check you and other politicians?