President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo
The media plays a pivotal role in our governance system. It's therefore not surprising when the framers of our constitution have made adequate provisions in chapter 12 of our constitution.
Primarily, media establishment are to inform, entertain and set the agenda for national discourse. In some instances, it puts pressure on government to act and signal government officials the feelings and aspirations of the citizenry.
Human civilization has gone through phases and now we are in the informational age. So the quest for balanced reportage is unquestionable and non negotiable.
However, a nation is at risk if you have a polarized and sick media.
The Genocide in Rwanda is still fresh in our minds. In Ghana, we are faced with a cabal that is specialized in toppling government. The scheme is simply applying the hypodermic theory, which argues that information is "short" into the receiver's mind and readily accepted.
In the run up to the elections, we heard a lot: corruption, incompetence, "stealers" etc. Even a journalist travelled to Burkina Faso to do a story about Ford Expedition, which failed to stand but did the political damage as planned.
Today, they are sick. The public is not informed of the numerous corruption, lawlessness, nepotism, and insecurity that has bedevilled the state. Their interest is on KB report.
How can the KB report curb the enormity of lawlessness by these parallel forces (militias)? To publicly condemn these boys and call them for coffee and party is most sickening.
In July 1963, Dr Martin Luther king Jr published an excerpt from his "letter from Birmingham jail." He espoused brilliantly that, "man became endowed with a conscience. And he has now reached the day when violence towards another human being must become as abhorrent as eating another's flesh"
A government that breeds lawlessness, corruption, insecurity is sick to the bone. In nine months, the government has borrowed over GH 27bn without anything to show for. It has employed a whooping 110 family and friends who are only good at insults, opulence and arrogance.
I wish to communicate forcefully, to all who may be expecting this sick government to curtail these hooligans to rethink. The government is simply impotent to deal with them. The public outbursts and utterances by leading figures of government provide a pseudo shell for these "thugs" to continue to torment innocent Ghanaians.
Our security service is one of the best in the sub region. They have the men and women to mute and crash these cowards into ashes. The problem however, is the top command. There is seemingly leadership paralyses in the police service under this IGP. I don't know if he care a bit about his integrity and image? The men and women in uniform have virtually become helpless and tamed.
The vice president of the Republic is one of my kinsmen and as custom demands, I ought to be measured in my public utterances about his failed leadership.
His own political blunders has exposed him to all well meaning Ghanaians. In fact, a time would come when he greets school children good morning, they would tell him to wait for them to watch the position of the sun before responding.
I think as a dominion of competence, he should have spared us the unfortunate remarks about the 419 Ghana post App. These blunders and many others have reduced him to a "liar".I am therefore unable to accept any invitation to join the bandwagon, because of my respect for our northern custom and traditions.
The average Ghanaian lives in fear today than it was a year ago. In short, these hooligans have succeeded in creating a ghastly atmosphere. Even government officials have become refugees in their own country. Take the case of the karaga DCE who was detained in police custody to avert any mob justice from NPP supporters.
The dream of our forefathers to seeing us write what we think say what we feel, and go to bed without fear of arrest or political victimization is gradually becoming a mirage.
The Ghanaian today want an end to these series of NPP sponsored lawlessness,
They want a country which has a balanced media, stable economy, jobs,quality education, equitable and affordable healthcare.
They say, to accept the existence of a parallel force is alien to our constitution and a sign of a failed state.
Mr president take charge and show leadership. You may need a cup of coffee to keep awake.