By Benjamin A. Commey
Accra, July 11, GNA – Mr Yaw Boadu Ayeboafo, Chairman of the National Media Commission (NMC), has charged political parties and their candidates to guard against inflammatory language when on radio and television.
He said that was the only way to protect the peace and security of the nation before, during and after the December 7 election.
He urged them to formulate messages that would appeal to the conscience of the electorate to ensure they secured votes in the upcoming polls.
“Let us be careful and mindful about the language that we are going to use because if we speak what is good, it is for every one of us,” he said.
“If we say things that are detrimental to the interest of this country, saying it because we may not be in government or because we are standing from afar, we think that we are doing danger to other people, then the mantle falls on us to come, how do we address the ill?”
Mr Ayeboafo gave the caution at the launch of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC’s) Political Broadcast Guidelines for Election 2024, in Accra, on Wednesday.
The Guidelines is to, among other things, give the political parties and candidates fair and equitable opportunity to inform and educate the public about their programme, afford the public opportunity to make informed decisions about the political parties and candidates and help strengthen democratic culture in the country.
The document also provides for a framework for the GBC to meet its constitutional requirements and serve the interest of Ghanaians.
It was launched on the theme: “Ghana Wins Elections 2024”.
About 16 political parties and independent presidential candidate hopefuls, including the People’s National Convention (PNC), the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Convention People’s Party (CPP), All People’s Congress (APC), Movement for Change, Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), Progressive People’s Party (PPP) and the Ghana Union Movement (GUM), were present at the launch.
Mr Ayeboafo said political parties had a critical role to play in safeguarding the country’s democracy, peace, and security.
He explained that their actions and inactions, therefore, had significant impact on maintaining the peace of the country, urging them to be mindful about their utterances when on radio and television.
“I want to appeal to everyone of you that in carrying out your responsibilities, understand that there is only one Ghana and that you are only a political party. If you destroy the rest of us so that you gain, what will you get at the end of the day, you get nothing.”
“When you are very angry, watch your words because your anger will abate, you will be sober, but every word that you had uttered you can never ever take it back. Let us be careful, let us be cautious that this is an opportunity given to us.”
Mr Ayeboafo charged the political parties to take advantage of the opportunity offered to them to present their policies and programmes to the electorate to enable them to make informed decisions.
He also urged them to collaboratively work with the media to ensure a successive poll in December.
Professor Amin Alhassan, Director General of GBC, said the launch of the Broadcast Guideline was confirmation of the Corporation’s objective to deliver on its mandate impartially.
Prof Alhassan rejected assertions that the GBC, over the years, gave more coverage to governments in power than opposition parties.
He said GBC had tried to give equal attention to all parties, however, it was “unavoidable” for government of the day to receive more coverage than those in opposition due to its susceptibility to attack from opposition parties.
“That is what, from our point, we call incumbency advantage. It is unavoidable, it is not because GBC is pro-NPP, it’s because in the last election, we voted that Party into government, so they are a political party seeking another term and at the same time they are still enjoying the four-year term in the previous election.
“So, that is incumbency advantage. We at the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation can do nothing about it,” he explained.
Prof Alhassan, however, assured that the GBC would continue to give opportunities to all political parties and candidates as mandated by the law to ensure equal playing field.
“We will ensure that all political parties are equally and fairly treated on all our networks – radio, 17 FM stations across the country, televisions, social media handles and gbconline. We will ensure that you are all heard,” he said.
Madam Akushika Acquaye, Chairperson of the Political Complaints and Monitoring Committee of GBC, presenting the Guidelines, said GBC would exercise final editorial control over all its contents, ensuring they met its standards.
GNA