Ministers should answer legitimate questions regarding promises, public expenditure – Asiedu Nketia

National Chairman of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia

National Chairman of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has urged journalists to maintain rigorous scrutiny of the Mahama administration and track government promises through to their actual delivery.

He said the media had a responsibility to examine public spending, question ministers on matters of public interest and assess whether development commitments were translating into tangible benefits for citizens.

Mr Asiedu Nketia made the call at the fourth Bono Regional Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Awards held in Sunyani on September 19, 2026, on the theme: “Ethics, Integrity and Impactful Journalism – Essential Ingredients for Societal Transformation.”

“I say this as National Chairman of the governing National Democratic Congress: this government should expect scrutiny. Ministers should answer legitimate questions. Public expenditure should be examined. The promises we made to Ghanaians should be checked against what we deliver,” he said.

According to him, effective scrutiny should not be viewed as an attempt to undermine government but as an integral component of democratic governance.

“That is part of governing in a democracy, and a government that intends to perform should have no difficulty with it,” he said.

The NDC National Chairman also called on journalists to base their reports on verified facts, regardless of whether the outcome of their reporting favours or embarrasses a particular political party.

“The public should also receive an accurate account when work is being done well. Journalism serves the citizen best when the facts are established properly and reported without regard to which political party finds them convenient,” he said.

He particularly challenged journalists in the Bono Region to go beyond reporting the commissioning of government projects and follow up to determine whether the investments are providing value for money.

“There are billions of cedis of public investments underway in Bono today. I would encourage journalists in this region to keep the records,” he said.

He urged journalists to document the cost and terms of contracts, identify the contractors involved and record the deadlines given for completion.

“When the date arrives, go back. Find out whether the work was completed and whether the public received what it paid for,” he said.

Mr Asiedu Nketia said the media should equally investigate delays, failures and other challenges associated with public projects and establish where responsibility lies. At the same time, he said successful projects should be properly reported so citizens can know what has been achieved.

“Five years from now, it should be possible for somebody to go into the archives of the media in Bono and reconstruct what happened to the major development commitments being made today,” he said.

He also appealed to politicians and public officials to make relevant information available to journalists and refrain from interpreting critical questions as attacks.

“Sometimes the person asking the uncomfortable question is telling you something that the people around you are no longer willing to say,” he said.

Beyond editorial responsibilities, Mr Asiedu Nketia called for better working conditions for journalists, arguing that media organisations require adequate resources to retain experienced professionals, undertake investigative work and maintain effective regional newsrooms.

He said journalists must be able to pursue sustainable careers without becoming financially dependent on the politicians, businesses or institutions they are expected to scrutinise.

“If we want high professional standards, the sustainability of serious journalism deserves attention as well,” he said.

The fourth Bono Regional GJA Awards was organised to recognise outstanding journalism and brought together journalists, traditional leaders, public officials and other stakeholders.