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Mr. Fiavi Fifi Kwetey, General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has urged the media to strictly hold institutions accountable to their mandate to strengthen the country’s democratic credentials.
He said that would also ensure the establishment of strong State institutions accountable to the citizens rather than the political class.
Mr. Kwetey made the call when he led some leaders of the NDC to pay a courtesy on the leadership of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), in Accra, on Wednesday.
The visit was to establish strong working relationship with the GJA to strengthen Ghana’s democracy.
Mr. Kwetey was accompanied by Mr. Kakra Essamuah, Director of Communications, Madam Obuobia Darko-Opoku, Deputy Director of Communications, Mr. Malik Basintale and Mr. Ako Gunn, both Deputy National Communication Officers.
Mr. Kwetey said building strong State institutions was critical to the economic and democratic development of the country.
“As a political party, NDC, we want to say that when institutions are strong, the country gets stronger,” he said.
“It is the truth that parties often want institutions to want to be under their thumb for their own purposes, but we must resist that edge.”
He indicated that the “economic situation we have in our country today simply shows that if institutions were playing their role well, we should not be having some of these difficulties.”
He, therefore, entreated the media to play a frontal role by holding State institutions accountable.
“We want to encourage all of us, starting with the media to be in the forefront of helping to ensure that all institutions play their role.”
Mr Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, President of the GJA, commended the leadership of the NDC, stressing that, such visits were key to strengthening bond between the two institutions.
He noted that, as the fourth Estate of the Realm, the media was a major stakeholder in the democratic dispensation of the country.
Therefore, he expressed concern about frequent attacks on journalists in discharging their constitutional mandate, urging the political parties to work towards addressing the situation.
“We are the medium through which your voices are heard. If you are paying courtesy to us without the reporters and the media here, nobody will know that you have visited the GJA.
“It will only be a discreet or an exercise in futility, but it is important for the public, for the citizens of Ghana to know that we are charting this path, at least which is in the interest of our democracy.
So, let us ensure that we support the media in protecting free expression and help shape the political will of Ghanaians,” the GJA President urged.
He also asked politicians to be mindful of their speech when on political platforms ahead of the 2024 general election, adding that they must avoid hate speech and mis/disinformation.
Mr. Dwumfour assured that the GJA would continue impress on its members to discharge their mandate with utmost professionalism to consolidate the democratic gains.
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