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Ghana: No Regret for Repealing Criminal Law - Andrew Awuni
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Ghanaian Chronicle (Accra)
26 March 2008
Posted to the web 26 March 2008
Alfred Adams
Sekondi
THE Press Secretary to the President, Mr. Andrew Awuni, has stated that the government, led by His Excellency John Agyekum Kufour, has never regretted expunging the Criminal Libel Law (CLL) from our statute books.
"Freedom is very important for building people's confidence in the development of the country, and the government has not regretted repealing the criminal libel law."
According to the Press Secretary, though the repeal of the Criminal Libel Law had provided free room for media personnel to operate, without fear of being thrown into jail, as was the case under the previous government, there was the need for media personnel to exercise circumspection while going about their work.
Mr. Awuni, who was interacting with journalists in Sekondi, noted that the repeal of the CLL must also serve as deterrent, or reminder, to media personnel that the civil aspect of the law still holds.
This, to him, meant that journalists could be sued at the Law Courts, on a publication deemed as libelous or seditious.
On why ministers and other government officials choose to go to court instead of using the National Media Commission (NMC), Mr. Awuni noted that there have been instances where public officials had resorted to the NMC, over certain publications they considered as libelous or seditious for arbitration, but the same media people refused to respect the NMC.
According to him there have been situations where some media houses have been directed by the NMC, the body which regulates media activities in the country, to retract stories and render an apology but they refused to comply.
He deplored the unprofessional and unethical manner, in which some newspapers use unprintable words in their publication, against some public officers and politicians who the papers considered as enemies.
To Andrew it was not the wish of government to be dragging the media, which it has given the freedom to keep it accountable to the people, to court but said, "If you do the right thing you will not be afraid of going to court."
Mr. Andrew Awuni praised the media for the role they have played in helping the country move from colonialism through military and dictatorial rule, and also in ensuring that democracy thrived in the country.
"Journalists have helped in fighting colonialism in the past, succeeded to fight military dictatorship, and helped to fight for democracy to thrive in the country. And now it is time for journalists to fight for the total economic transformation of our country."
He, however, urged journalists to confront issues with facts, and not to allow people to abuse freedom of speech with lies.
To him, "though journalists have the right to look at issues at different perspectives, there is the fundamental issue of objectivity in the journalism profession."
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On the impasse, between management of Ghana Railways and the workers, Mr. Andrew Awuni urged the media not fan the impasse, but use their medium to resolve it.
This is because the livelihood of the people of Takoradi depended on the railways, and therefore it would be inadvisable for the media to fan the impasse.
"The workers and management may be right, but we have to get the matter resolved. We can't take entrenched positions and insist we have to resolve the matter."
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