The President, John Mahama has advised the media to stop allocating precious air time to uninformed persons in discussing national issues.
But, rather, he urged media owners and show hosts to empanel persons who have the requisite knowledge in the subject matter being discussed.
This, the President maintained would enrich the level of discourse in the country and help to elicit the right responses from the appropriate quarters.
Addressing a breakfast meeting held in honor of religious leaders in the Ashanti Regional capital as part of his accounting to the people tour, Mr Mahama was worried that current media talk shows had been reduced to character assassinations and the churning out of weird views.
According to him, many panelists who appear on some of the shows express views that are shallow and divisive.
Others, he noted rather than commending the efforts of government in solving a problem or challenge would mention how the issue could be done their own way.
”At times what you will hear is that the government should have done this school under tree but not the one it chose to do” , the President stressed.
But added, ‘we could have spent that time used for fighting over where the school was situated to discussing the social or economic importance of that particular school’.
The President indicated shallow minded arguments in the media landscape was the result of not seeking to empanel the right kind of persons.
However, the President has appealed to the clergy to take charge of the discourse in the public since they tender huge congregation in their churches.
”You are in charge of huge numbers in your churches so kindly take charge of some of the issues if you are abreast with it”.
CLERGY:
Preaching the sermon earlier on in the day, Rev Steve Asante, a Charismatic Minister of the Gospel urged Christians to be law abiding and show respect to authorities in the country.
He stressed only a United people could help develop the country to the status people want to see.
He urged citizens to live at peace with one another since all of us were each others keeper.
He called for political tolerance and tasked political party leaders to show the way to peace as the elections draw closer.
TOUR:
The President, in the company of the Chief of Staff,Mr Julius Debrah and other ministers as well as high ranking party and government appointees as part of the publicised 3 day tour of the Ashanti Region visited Kumawu, Offinso, Asawase, Fomena, New Edubiase, Adugyama, Afari and Bekwai where he inspected ongoing projects initiated by his administration.
The projects included the Kumawu water expansion project, the commissioning of the Adugyama community day senior high school and the commissioning of the girls dormitory at Bekwai among others.
The tour was without controversy as some unidentified persons at Piase threw stones at a bus carrying media men who were part of the President’s convoy.
No one was hurt but the Ejisu police have arrested two persons in connection with the incident.
