W93.5FM Collaborates With Security Agencies to Fight Crime

Joseph Pulitzer, a renowned journalist, once noted, “There is not a crime, there is not a dodge, there is not a trick, there is not a swindle, there is not a vice which does not live by secrecy. Get all these things out in the open, describe them, ridicule them in the press and sooner or later public opinion will sweep them away.” These words ring true.

Crime which can be defined as any unlawful act punishable by the state exists in every society no matter how socially cohesive it is. It creates fear and insecurity among people. People are not able to go about their normal duties for fear of having their rights violated by criminal elements. When this happens, it affects the social and economic development of the society and the nation as a whole.

The Upper West Region has its fair share of crime to deal with. The region has a land size of about 18,500 square kilometers. It is bordered on the north by Burkina Faso, on the east by the Upper East Region, on the south by the Northern Region and on the west by Cote d'Ivoire.

It has three major ethnic groups namely the Dagaabas, Walas and Sissalas. Wa is the largest town and the regional capital.

Crime is destructive, crime destabilizes society, and crime adversely affects the socio-economic development of a society and nation and must be contained. Security must be everybody's business.

The press (print and broadcast media) has an important role to play in the fight against crime.

It is against this backdrop that management of W.93.5 FM led by its dynamic General Manager Space Atuquaye Clottey invited heads of the security services, their public relations officers and other key players to a meeting at the Reception of the radio station located at Kpaguri, a suburb of Wa on 27 March, 2014.

In his opening remarks Mr. Space Atuquaye Clottey said, the meeting was to enable W 93.5 FM collaborate with the security agencies in the fight against crime.

He said crime was a serious threat that needed to be curbed to pave the way for the Upper West Region to advance its developmental objectives. He said W.93.5 FM will not renege on its mandatory role to help the security agencies fight crime through information, education, sports and entertainment.

He said accurate reporting was the hall mark of the radio station and called on the leadership of the various security services to be forthcoming with information that could sensitize the public about crime and the way forward in dealing with it.

The most common crimes committed in the Upper West Region include stealing (especially motor bikes), motor traffic offences, assault, unlawful entry, rape, defilement, murder, and chieftaincy and religious disputes that have the potential to degenerate into violence.

When there is information on crime, people begin to think up ways and means and the strategies they must put in place to control if not eliminate it.

Some security personnel expressed their disappointment with the attitude of journalists who will not report on an issue or programme until they were given a “brown envelope”. The taking of brown envelopes certainly violates the ethics and code of conduct of journalists; besides, it compromises the integrity of those involved. To give credibility and integrity to their stories, journalists were advised to get their stories from the right sources or they should cross check their facts before putting out the story for public consumption. They were also advised to be circumspect in their reportage so as not to inflame passions which had the potential to cause chaos in the region and the country as a whole. As much as possible they should avoid sensational journalism since it was counter-productive and did not serve the best interest of society.

Management made a promise to look into the issues raised.

W 93.5 FM is a dynamic and progressive radio station. The initiative management took by inviting security chiefs in the region to a meeting to serve as a platform for collaboration between the two partners in the fight against crime attests to this fact. Besides, W93.5 FM has a programme dubbed, “the people's parliament” which affords departmental heads and opinion leaders in the region to discuss the developmental challenges facing the region with the view to addressing them.

The security personnel expressed appreciation to management of W93.5 FM and hoped the anticipated collaboration would lead to crime reduction and help the Upper West Region achieve its developmental goals and meet the aspirations of the people.

Abundant Robert K. AWOLUGUTU
ASSISTANT CONTROLLER OF PRISONS (ACP)/AG. REGIONAL COMMANDER OF PRISONS

GHANA PRISONS SERVICE,
WA-UWR.