Manasseh Azure reveals why he ceased to be member of GJA

Investigative journalist and Editor-in-Chief of The Fourth Estate, Manasseh Azure has revealed some reasons why he withdrew his membership from the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA).

Manasseh's revelation came just two days after two broadcast journalists with Citi TV/FM were arrested by operatives of the National Security Ministry.

The GJA President Affail Monney was reported to have said that Caleb Kudah breached the Code of ethics of the profession for filming at the car park of the National Security Secretariat.

But Manasseh said GJA, a body which should be working for the interest of media practitioners in the country is rather working against the interest of journalists.

He accuses the leadership of the professional body of always bashing or tagging as arrogant journalists who pursue government officials and appointees to demand accountability from them.

"I stopped being a member of the Ghana Journalists Association when I was convinced its leadership was working against the interest of journalists and the journalists generally do not care about who leads them. If you demand accountability you're tagged as arrogant or accused of hating," part of a Facebook post made by the investigative journalist reads.

The journalist also noted that GJA under its current leadership has deviated from the high standard the previous leaderships had set.

"The GJA under Gifty Afanyi-Dadzie or Ransford Tetteh was not like this," he noted.

Read below his full Facebook post:

2015: Samuel Nuamah of Ghanaian times dies in presidential press corps accident. The vehicle and its driver, according to the journalists on board the vehicle, had issues and they had complained about before the accident. The presidency gave a different account.

THE GJA President said he believed the account of the presidency over the journalists. I asked him whether he was doubting the account of the reporter from his own newsroom, Napoleon Ato Kittoe, who was on board the vehicle. He said Napoleon Ato Kittoe was sleeping so he didn't really see what happened.

2017: The GJA issued a press statement against the Robbing the Assemblies documentary I did on the Jospong Group. Without stating any journalistic ethic, I broke, the GJA said I was destroying a local company. That investigation led to the cancellation of a $74 million contract.

2021: After the National Security arrested and beat up Caleb Kudah of Citi FM for going to film vehicles that had been procured with the tax payers' money and left to rust, the GJA President says he broke the GJA Code of Ethics because his motive was not clear.

Of course, Affail Monney could not be referring to the Code of Ethics of the Ghana Journalists Association. Maybe, that code of ethics belongs to the Ghana Jokers Association.

The GJA under Gifty Afanyi-Dadzie or Ransford Tetteh was not like this.

Fortunately, the GJA is not like the Ghana Bar Association. Being a member is not compulsory. I stopped being a member of the association when I was convinced its leadership was working against the interest of journalists and the journalists generally do not care about who leads them. If you demand accountability you're tagged as arrogant or accused of hating.

The tenure of current GJA executive expired in 2020. For whatever reasons, they are holding on to power. This has resulted in a court action. Until seriousness returns to the association one day, it is better to stay aloof and practice without the expectation of a professional representing now.

Source: // contributor on modernghana

Originating at ghanavanguard.com