Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has charged journalists not to misconstrue the prevailing favourable media environment as unfettered freedom to upset the governance process.
He said despite being considered the ‘Fourth Estate of the Realm’, media practitioners should wield their powers responsibly.
The former President wants journalists to “acknowledge that this power has been earned from the increasing trust the people’s representatives in both the Legislature and the Executive are gaining in you.”
Speaking at the launch of the 70th Anniversary of Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) at Kempinski in Accra, Tuesday, he said the Association must “ensure that no one within the profession takes anything for granted to endanger and subvert the fine balance enacted by the Law.”
Mr Kufuor observed that Ghana’s darkest day had been when the media was muzzled, hence, commended President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for giving his assent to the Right to Information Bill.
Mr Kufuor further charged the leadership of the GJA to ensure that its members are monitored frequently and protected from assault.
Mr Kufuor bemoaned the murder of investigative journalist Ahmed Hussein-Suale who worked with Tiger Eye PI until his death, describing the murder as “regrettable.”
The former President also entreated journalists to be magnanimous enough to retract and apologise to people they publish wrong reports about in their line of duty.
He noted that: “To err is man and to forgive divine”, hence, it will be disastrous on the part of any journalist to refuse to retract and apologise for a wrong reportage.
The leadership of the GJA conferred a Champion of Champions in Democracy title on Mr Kufuor.
Source: Class
