Contribute to Bawku’s peace-building efforts, urges Boadu-Ayeboafoh.
Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafoh, Chairman of the National Media Commission (NMC), has urged the media to ensure that their reporting contributes to peace-building in Bawku and other conflict zones.
“I would like to urge the media to use discretion and caution when reporting on conflicts, particularly those in Bawku, in order to ensure peace-building rather than escalating the problem,” he said.
Mr Boadu-Ayeboafoh met with members of the media in Bolgatanga last Friday, accompanied by the NMC’s Executive Secretary, George Sarpong.
The two were in the Upper East Region for a two-day official visit.
Members of the regional media advisory committee, including Eric Amoh, Rt Rev. Dennis Debukari Tong, the Anglican Diocesan Bishop of Tamale, Mr Alfred Ndago, and Robert Ajene, also attended the meeting.
As part of the visit, the NMC team met with the management of FM stations in Bawku to interact with them and ask them to help keep the peace-building in the area.
Reporting based on hearsay
The NMC Chairman warned the media not to publish hearsay stories about the protracted Bawku conflict because it would exacerbate the crisis.
“I wish to urge the media to always get their information on the Bawku conflict right in order not to worsen the situation on the ground.
“You should not speak to one person in the never-ending Bawku conflict and then rush to publish it, only to find out later that what you published was false,” he said.
He stated that it was critical for the media to speak with feuding factions and other groups considered neutrals who did not want the conflict to continue in order to file balanced stories.
In terms of language, he urged the media to be cautious and dignified in their use of words, saying, “In a conflict situation, you should be extremely careful not to inadvertently use words that will make you choose sides.”
Mr Boadu-Ayeboafoh also urged the region’s media to collaborate closely with the media advisory committee to clean up the environment for their mutual benefit.
He went on to say that no media outlet could challenge the NMC’s decisions and urged the media to collaborate with the advisory committee to better serve the people’s interests.
“There is no manliness in any of you by ignoring the sound advice of the advisory committee on certain infractions,” he said, adding, “It is not every truth that has to be told, and even if it has to be told, the manner of the telling can make the difference, thereby ensuring peace-building in society.”
Liability
Mr Sarpong expressed concern that every child in Bawku who was denied an education or dropped out of school as a result of the conflict would be a liability not only to himself or herself, but to the country as a whole.
“We should not think that the Bawku conflict does not concern us because it is far from us due to our location,” he noted, arguing that “whatever is going on in Bawku today should be of great concern to all Ghanaians due to its ripple effects”.
Extensive investigation
The Chairman of the Regional Media Advisory Committee, Robert Ajene, warned the media against publishing stories that had not been thoroughly investigated because it was a recipe for social chaos.
“I would like to appeal to you to exercise the utmost caution in carrying out your duties so that you do not cause harm to the country,” he said.
He also urged the media to stay neutral and avoid taking sides in conflict situations, saying, “I would like to caution you not to allow conflict profiteers to use you as tools to destroy the peace-building in Bawku.”
Communication centralized prace-building
In a statement, the Upper East Regional Chairman of the Ghana Journalists Association, William Nlanjerbor Jalulah, urged the NMC to engage the Police Administration to reconsider its recently implemented centralized communication system.
He stated that such a move would allow regional media to have easy access to crime information rather than relying on hearsay.
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