What Professionalism GJA, NMC?

GJA Boss, Affail Monney and NMC Boss, Kabral Blay-Amihere

Many reasons account for the endangered state of journalism in the country today. These but not the least include the naked hypocrisy exhibited shamelessly by the two bodies charged with protecting this critical catalyst of democracy; the other is the incivility spawned by megalomaniacs heading public offices, the AMA Chief Executive Officer being a perfect case in point.

The Ghana Journalists' Association (GJA) and the National Media Commission (NMC) are clapping their hands in support of his actions. How weird!

That Oko Vanderpuiye can simply order the arrest of a journalist because, in his estimation, he has acted unprofessionally sounds as amazing as the GJA and the NMC not regarding the action unseemly.

The AMA boss is one man whose continuous presence in public service is an indictment on the Mahama administration. Indeed the President keeps him at his peril, we can bet, unless he seeks to subtly acquiesce with the now rampant assault on journalists countrywide upon the orders of his appointees.

We used to think that President John Mahama was a friend of the media. Now we know we were wrong. He too has been infected with the contagion of power and has changed overnight, no longer a buddy of the media, and preferring a 'no comments, no action' posture when his appointees order the beating of media practitioners.

We wish we were not treading this path today and were commenting on issues such as the poor management of the economy and the failure by government to halt the spread of cholera and poverty in a resource rich country such as ours.

Demanding professionalism at a time when journalists are victims of wanton brutalisation on the orders of the likes of Oko Vanderpuiye, is most reprehensible and a manifestation of indifference of the highest order on the part of the GJA and the NMC.

To fold our arms as our colleagues suffer the iniquities of reckless individuals and megalomaniacs in public offices, is to shirk our responsibilities as sentinel of best practices and good governance.

The pontification by the GJA and NMC about an abstract virtue at this time sounds nonsensical, we are constrained to point out. We ask that they shut up if they do not have anything to do towards reversing this anomaly and leave us to fight our duels with the discredited political establishment of which they are a virtual part.

Merely issuing a statement feebly condemning the assault of the Kumasi journalist by the GJA is not a soothing action.

We are saddened by the fact that the two bodies are falling over each other to be in the good books of a government which has lost the confidence of the citizenry. If professionalism means turning our attention from bad and irresponsible governance, we cease to be part of it.

Blimey! Where in the civilised democracies have media practitioners been good bedfellows of the executives? As watchers of the public purse, as it were, and of how political power is used and misused, we do not expect to be praised by those who perpetrate the thefts from the public purse. Is this unprofessionalism conduct? Come again GJA and NMC!