NMC’s FAUX PAS!

We have been compelled to re-visit the National Media Commission's (NMC) spoilage for a fight with the DAILY GUIDE over two subjects.

This is because we consider the Commission's tongue-lashing of us, which was circulated to over 100 newspapers and broadcasters as very 'selective commentary' on the issues complained about.

We wish to underscore that a truthful media when allowed to flourish in any given socio-political environment will bring to public notice malfeasances which would have otherwise remained under the carpet.

The NMC under the chairmanship of Paul Adu Gyamfi went to town on us, and invited all manner of insults to be heaped on our heads in an attempt to throw sputum on the two stories carried by the DAILY GUIDE.

In failing to achieve its objective, which it sought in concert with partisan political radio commentators and newspapers, the NMC has suffered a terrible image dent in the eyes of decent and objective Ghanaians.

One of the stories dealt with the issue of a married woman who was allegedly raped by a cop while in police cells.

While the commission was busy lambasting us, the victim on her part has expressed appreciation to DAILY GUIDE for bringing the issue, a painful one indeed, to the fore.

The victim of the abuse is still seeking justice, because credible information available to us indicates that there has been not a single attempt by any recognized body in Ghana, be it the commission, or the numerous NGOs and so-called gender activists to call for an investigation into the issue.

As she incessantly longs for justice like manna from heaven, the only thing she can smile over in the absence of what is appearing to be delayed justice is that her plight found place on the pages of a newspaper.

It is therefore bizarre that a body like the NMC, whose mandate is to, inter alia, ensure the existence of a decent and virile media supportive of the rule of law and other attributes of democracy, would ignore the substantive matter of the abuse and rather go on a bashing spree of DAILY GUIDE for flashing the story.

We are pained and shudder to observe that such abhorrence is emanating from a Media Commission which requires adequate respectability to operate effectively on both the media and political terrain.

This important element is fast eluding the previously apolitical Commission.

We wish this had not been the case so that the fully-fledged democracy which we crave for is achieved in the not-too-distant future.

The second story which dwelt on the NDC flag bearer's health status, we observe, is not going away, unfortunately as the commission would have wished it to.

Indeed the issue has taken such dimensions that the professor's own members of parliament are at each other's throat on the way forward.

While our story certainly meant no harm to the flag bearer, as the commission's tongue-lashing made it look to be, we are shocked that the same commission has closed its eyes, ears, and mouth to worse case scenarios being reported by other media, both broadcast and print on the same issue.

We wonder if the commission has monitored Oman FM and Citi FM radio stations, and read The Heritage, and The Independent newspapers for it to appreciate who should be sending get-well cards to the Prof and who should not. We think all these media are in service to the nation.

Our wish is not for a weakened NMC, but for a fair commission which does not raise its rod based on commentaries from professional radio political commentators who criss-cross radio stations from 6.00am to 10.00am every day of the week.

The NMC should do proper monitoring and content analysis of the media before jumping to undue conclusions while it does nothing about other things it should be doing something about.

When the commission does settle down to take up the case of the rape victim in far away Tuna, and gets that police man who perpetrated the crime to face justice, we hope it will remember to invite us to cover it.
That is all the poor woman is waiting for.

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