The Ghanaian media has been identified as the single most crucial arm of the State which could, however, plunge the country into chaos and confusion if efforts were not expended to sanitize the institution ahead of the upcoming general election.
Addressing a stakeholders meeting with political party representatives, media practitioners as well as religious bodies at the Ashanti Regional Police Headquarters, DCOP Kofi Boakye noted the media holds 60% of the peace the country currently enjoys.
He said being the fourth estate of the realm of the State, the media wields so much power and influence, adding they could either make or mar the peace of the country if the necessary regulation and checks is not placed on their operations.
ADMONITION:
He, has, therefore charged the National Media Commission,(NMC) as well as the Ghana Journalists Association,(GJA) to consciously monitor the activities of the media especially the Radio, Television and Newspaper outfits so as to sanitize the system ahead of the upcoming general elections in November 7th.
He also rallied media owners to take charge of the content of their outfits so as to ensure their employees or radio personalities churn out non-divisive but credible information to the public.
He urged media practitioners to be responsible in their utterances and urged them to dismiss any panelist or party representative who would try to cause confusion with his hate-speech or ethnocentric sentiments.
RWANDA EXAMPLE:
According to the Police Boss, it only took a senseless hate word from a sect in Rwanda and that plunged the country in chaos where nearly 300,000 people died as a result.
He disclosed the Tutsis and Hutus, the two main tribes in Rwanda hitherto lived peacefully in Rwanda, but was plunged into chaos because the managers of one particular radio station failed to call to order one errant person whose view was seen to be the gospel truth.
RESOLVE:
But, sounding undaunted, DCOP Kofi Boakye promised to liaise with the relevant regulatory bodies to arrest and prosecute any media person, panelist or party person found to advancing either hate speech or ethnocentric sentiments on radio or on TV.
He pledged to ensure the full force of the Police is brought to bear on the activities of the media so as to sanitize the airwaves ahead of the crucial 2016 general elections as well as next week’s limited registration exercise by the Electoral Commission,(EC) in the Ashanti Region.
