Angry Minister Throws Out Journalists On National Sanitation Day

Western Regional Minister Paul Evans Aidoo, on Saturday May 2, reportedly sacked a reporter and a cameraman from the Takoradi Market Circle, where the two had arrived to cover the national sanitation day exercise.

The Regional Minister is said to have instructed one Nana Kumi, who's in charge of Operations at the Western Regional Police Command, to throw out the two from the scene.

The May edition of the National Sanitation Day Exercise took place nationwide on Saturday May 1, with the main event in Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region.

In the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis, the focus of the clean-up was at the Takoradi Market Circle. But as at 9:15 am Saturday morning, no activities were ongoing at the venue when the reporters arrived at the market.

When the exercise commenced, only a handful of market women were seen taking part in it. At about 9: 35am, the Western Regional Minister Paul Evans Aidoo and his entourage arrived at the Market Circle.

Surprised by the unconcerned attitude of the market women and the low turnout, the Minister and his Deputy Alfred Ekow Gyan, purchased some brooms for the women who had complained about the lack of tools for the exercise.

After that intervention, the entourage started moving around to inspect the exercise. The Minister without any immediate provocation, allegedly asked a reporter and a cameraman from Skyy Media Group who were the only ones present to stop following the entourage.

Mr. Aidoo instructed the Police Operations Officer Nana Kumi, to ensure that the reporters were out of the scene.

The reporter, Eric Gyetua, who was baffled about the development, sought to seek audience with the Minister, but before he could get close to him, he was rudely pulled back by the neck.

The Western Regional Minister angrily said ‘’ who are you? Are you a supervisor? What is your mission here? I am giving you only five minutes get out of this place or else ’’.

Onlookers were shocked by the rather unwarranted conduct of the Regional Minister cum Member of Parliament. The news team after the manhandling left the scene.

It is unclear why the calm-looking and rather friendly Regional Minister may have acted in this manner.

But tv3network.com's investigations show that Paul Evans Aidoo, who's also the MP for Sefwi-Wiawso, may have previous scores to settle with the media company, whose owner, Mr. Wilson Arthur, is a member of the New Patriotic Party and a one-time failed parliamentary candidate.

The Minister according to our investigations, is unhappy with the station which it believes is doing the bidding of the NPP, whiles hitting unnecessarily and unfairly at Government.

Prior to Saturday's incident, the Western Regional Coordinating Council had for a long time stopped inviting the media company to its public events.