John Mahama mad at Joy FM ...over Baby Ansaba`s story

The Office of the Vice President has described as highly irresponsible the deliberate attempt to malign the Vice President, John Mahama with a false report that officials of the NDC blackmailed one Baby Ansaba (Ato Sam), a journalist, to make some confessions.

A statement signed by John Abdulai Jinapor, Media Co-ordinator to the Vice President, said the Joy FM news report can at best be described as a fabrication calculated to impugn the reputation of the Vice President.

Joy FM in its report claimed among others, that it has been able to confirm that the Vice President assisted Baby Ansabah with money to pay for compensation to the family of a pastor that he allegedly knocked down in a motor accident. The statement said the report also falsely claimed that officials of the NDC used that assistance to blackmail Mr. Ansabah to avoid prosecution.

Mr. Janipor stated that; neither has the Vice President given out any money to Mr. Ansabah nor coerced him to make any confession.

According to the statement, despite the clear denial by both family representative of the deceased pastor and Mr. Ansabah that there has not been any such compensation paid, Joy FM claimed in its news report that it had gathered the information as a fact, and went ahead to broadcast the news item, though it could not provide evidence for the story.

The Office of the Vice President said while the Mills government believes in the freedom of the media and will continue to promote it, the media must desist from the deliberate peddling of falsehood and the fabrication of stories intended to malign personalities and institutions.

The statement advised Joy FM in particular to remember the basics of journalism and endeavour to promote professionalism in the trade.