Stop Lying About Press Freedom – NPP Boy Tells Mahama

Asare-Bediako Seth, the Bono Regional Director of Communications for the NPP has described as “a blatant lie” a comment by former President John Dramani Mahama that Ghana occupied the first position in Africa in Press Freedom during his tenure as President.

“For the records, and for the information of Former President Mahama, the only time Ghana placed 1st in Africa was under President Akufo-Addo, and this was in 2018”, Mr. Asare-Bediako Seth stated in a Press Release issued on Sunyani.

He added, “I would like to remind the ex-President that we as a nation are not in normal times. We are battling the novel Coronavirus with all our strength and resources available and this is not the time to engage in cheap propaganda and politics of deception.”

Mr. Asare-Bediako Seth, who is popularly known as ABS, emphasized that what the former said was “a complete lie as Ghana never occupied the First Position in Africa during his tenure as the President. For the avoidance of doubt, this never happened under Mr. Mahama, also known as Government Official One.”

Please find below the full details of the Press Statement issued by the Bono Regional Director of Communication of the NPP, Asare-Bediako Seth, also called ABS.

EX-PRESIDENT MAHAMA STILL LYING EVEN IN OPPOSITION – BONO COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR, NPP

Yesterday Sunday May 3, 2020 was marked as the World Press Freedom Day, a day set aside to remind ourselves about the urgent need to respect and commit to press freedom.

On such an occasion, one would expect that political leadership would speak to facts about efforts made so far as a country to ensure press freedom, challenges faced and the way forward.

Unfortunately, Former President Mahama chose to use the occasion to tell a blatant lie ostensibly to throw dust into the eyes of Ghanaians with the view of scoring cheap political points.

The Former President, whose administration was fraught with incompetence and uncountable corruption allegations, stated in a video being circulated on social media that, “During my tenure as President of the Republic of Ghana, we became the country with the highest levels of Press Freedom in Africa. At the time, we were ranked number one out of 54 countries in Africa. We also placed 23rd on the global ranking among a hundred and eighty countries. Three and a half years later, we have slumped seven places on the global ranking and lost the number one spot in Africa to Namibia and Cape Verde.”

The above statement from Former President Mahama is a complete lie as Ghana never occupied the First Position in Africa during his tenure as the President. For the avoidance of doubt, this never happened under Mr. Mahama, also known as Government Official One.

Mr. John Mahama ruled Ghana as the President from 24th July 2012 to 6th January, 2017 and so can he respectfully tell us in which year under his watch did Ghana place 1st in Africa?

He should also explain to Ghanaians why he covered up his bodyguards who mercilessly beat-up a Joy FM reporter, Kwesi Parker-Wilson on Monday October 29, 2018.

Also, what happened to the Petition by the Media Foundation for West Africa on the alleged assault on a reporter of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), Yahaya Kwamoah on August 20, 2015 by the then presidential staffer, Stan Dogbe?

For the records, and for the information of Former President Mahama, the only time Ghana placed 1st in Africa was under President Akufo-Addo, and this was in 2018.

I would like to remind the ex-President that we as a nation are not in normal times. We are battling the novel Coronavirus with all our strength and resources available and this is not the time to engage in cheap propaganda and politics of deception.

The good people of Ghana appreciate the efforts of this government under the abled-leadership of Nana Addo-Dankwa Akufo Addo to deepen Press Freedom by enacting the Right to Information Act, which was on the drawing board for about two decades.

SIGNED: ASARE-BEDIAKO SETH (ABS)

BONO REGIONAL COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR