TV3, GNA join forces with Graphic, Times

The TV3 and Ghana News Agency Chapter of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) have joined their colleagues of the Graphic Communications Group Limited and New Times Corporation to reject the Kulendi committee decision to impose an unelected president on the association.

Their decisions were contained in separate statements issued in Accra. The TV3 statement signed by the chapter's acting chairman, Gabriel Bosompem, said "after a careful study of the confusion generated by the 23 August 2003 GJA Presidential election, we have decided to reject the verdict of the three-member Youny Kulendi Committee".

It said it considered as unfortunate and unconstitutional the comments by the committee's chairman. "The chapter has, therefore, resolved not to recognize the presidency of Yaw Owusu-Addo, who, contrary to the GJA Constitution, gained his new position by declaration instead of by election," the statement said.

The statement called for a fresh presidential election to be held within the next 30 days. "The chapter is accordingly calling for the indefinite postponement of the proposed handover ceremony to the new executive until all related matters are acceptably resolved among the rank and file," it said.

The statement cautioned that should the handover and subsequent inauguration take place, the chapter would break away. The chapter called for an extraordinary meeting of the association to review the GJA Constitution to bring it in conformity with current and emerging trends.

The GNA statement, signed by Samuel Osei Frempong, Chapter Chairman, said that the inauguration of the new national executive be put on hold until an emergency National Consultative Meeting of all chapters and regional executives has decided on whether to recognize Yaw Owusu-Addo or re-run of the presidential elections.

The chapter declared in no uncertain terms that it did not and would not recognize Komla Dumor as the Journalist of the Year for 2000 and 2001. The chapter pointed out that there possibly had been some manipulations before the award was given to Dumor and so could be said to have been flawed.

The chapter expressed deep reservations about the manner in which the out-going executive managed the affairs of the association and called for an early meeting to review the GJA Constitution during which a more acceptable definition of who a journalist is could be reached, among others.