Media reportage should reflect real happenings in society to facilitate development and cohesion Nana Ababio Kwadwo Toku, Western Regional Chairman for the NDC, has said.
He suggested that journalists should use the realities on the field as their trump card, so they could maintain their professional credibility.
Nana Toku made the remarks on Friday when the regional NDC executives hosted the media in Sekondi.
He said, “Let the truth be your guide and work for the development of the region, so that Ghana will be a better place. Yes, I am an NDC, but, I belong to the Western Region and nowhere else. Indeed, our credibility is what we need to move the region forward. We produce the bulk of the resource in this country, but our roads are bad. You need to be champions for the region.”
The NDC regional chairman said, even though the party would not dictate how the media should operate, it expected that facts would be cross-checked before stories were put out.
“Ever since the NDC was voted out from power, I sometimes receive reports about the misunderstanding between our communicators and radio show hosts; this is the time for stock taking, what can be done to improve some of these misunderstandings, what can we do to promote peace in this electioneering year; the NDC will work with the media, so as the ruling party, but our plea is that, be fair and factual, “Nana Toku said.
He further urged the media not to be in a rush to report their stories, stating that “sometimes your side of the story won’t be heard and by the time you are giving the opportunity to clear yourself the harm has already been created.”
Nana Toku revealed that out of the 17 constituencies in the Western Region, the party had held 16 parliamentary primaries with Amenfi East outstanding due to the party’s strategy, and not that the party had no candidate.
The Western Region organiser of the NDC, Japhet Baidoo, said it was regrettable the government was making undeserving claims on factories initiated by the previous administration, as part of the famous one district one factory initiative.
He argued that claims by government on the KEDA ceramics factory, as an offspring of the one district one factory initiative of the NPP was deceitful and must be challenged by the media.
“If you hear that, the government is claiming that a factory has been established in the Western Region, and you know it is not true, don’t keep quiet over it,” Mr Baidoo said.
The Regional Secretary, Joseph Nelson, thanked the journalists for their support, and added that they should focus on welfare of the Western Region and shape the fortunes of the people.
FROM CLEMENT ADZEI BOYE, SEKONDI
