Media Practitioner, Kwame Sefa Kayi has descended heavily on state institutions at the helm of affairs during elections.
Speaking at a stakeholder meeting organised by the Media Foundation for West Africa on Monday November 21, 2016, the Chairman General as he is popularly known expressed his disappointment on why the Electoral Commission has charged Journalists GHS10.00 as accreditation fee for coverage of the December 7 Elections.
According to him, EC’s decision is rather to deny journalists the right to report the truth and this might be a calamity if they are refused.
“My problem with you Electoral Commission, I think is shameful that you will charge the media to cover the elections. We aren’t sincere people, we like to cover things up and this is just like State Protocol asking journalists to pay money to cover the 6th March Independence Anniversary. I don’t think its a very good thing you’ve done.”
Chairman General continued “Sadly we won’t talk about it, we push it under the carpet but you’re denying journalists the right to report the truth and situations how they happen to people. I don’t think it’s a smart thing to do. I don’t know why as a journalist or as part of the media we should pay money to cover elections….. If we aren’t careful we will end up reporting disaster, little things like what the EC has done to us as Journalists…” Sefa Kayi expressed worry over the Ghana Police inability to avert the recent clashes between supporters of the NDC and the NPP that ensued at the Nima residence of the Flagbearer of the NPP.
“You’re telling us the Police is very well prepared but these mishaps happened at your backyard. But when Journalists misreports these rows then we (Journalists) are blamed that we are too sensational but who causes the sensationalism. If state institutions will work the way they supposed to, I’m sure that we will also do our work the way we’re supposed to.
“So much as we appreciate, we acknowledge what you are doing but please let’s speak truth to power…. let’s tell them that listen do your stuff, we will do ours but don’t attend functions and give us rhetoric, when you do that you put us in a very tight corner.”
Chairman lamented over the abysmal education by the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) ahead of the December polls.
“NCCE you complain to us in private that you have no money. Is two weeks to elections and we’ve not seen anything from NCCE, what is this hypocrisy and dishonesty that we are all pushing. The NCCE is a state organisation that is supposed to educate us on our right but it two weeks to elections and they’ve not put even one advert out there.
“But truth be told, let all of us speak truth to power and let also tell them especially the EC, you aren’t fair to us, let’s tell NCCE, you don’t have money and you aren’t working enough and let’s tell the police, we want to trust you,” he added.
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