Public Agenda (Accra)
Kwaku Baah- Acheamfour
1 December 2008
Cape Coast — Mr. P.N.K Aborampah Mensah, programmes officer of the Centre for Democratic Development CDD-Ghana, has urged the media to be circumspect with the kind of information they put in the public domain, especially in the last days of the impending elections.
He explained that since such information can mar or strengthen the country's quest of ensuring peaceful and violent free elections, it is the duty of the media as the fourth estate of realm to help deepen the democratic tenets of the country.
He added that it is an undeniable fact that the nation is polarized on ethnic, chieftaincy and especially political lines and as such any issue that will end up generating political violence must be treated with caution.
He said for instances, issues about political leaders which have always generated controversies and subsequent violence leading to the loss of lives and property like what happened at Gushegu, Bawku shouldn't be rushed into the public domain, especially in the last few days of the.
"You might have a genuine thing or incident to report on, but let's put the interest of the nation first as such sensational reports can also contribute in breeding an atmosphere of violence."
He therefore urged the media to report such issues like defacing of party posters and other illicit acts which could spark counter reactions from other political opponents to the security agencies.
"Even things about the electoral commission should be handled with care so that no party can stand on that to disagree with the verdict , especially now that almost all the political parties have one way or the other expressed displeasure about the work of the E.C.
Addressing a section of the media during a CDD peaceful campaign in Cape Coast central, Mr.Aborampah Mensah explained that Cape Coast was considered for the programme together with other towns in the northern and the eastern parts of Ghana due to the violence that sparked up during the voter transfer exercise.
He admonished the security agencies to be impartial in solving disputes arising from the political activities, so that people who feel they have been denied justice won't take the laws into their own hands.
At the public forum, the central regional police commander ASP Akayire Kamparah who also doubles as Chairman of the Central Regional Election Security Task Force (CRESTF) pledged the commitment of the security services in ensuring free, fair and transparent elections.
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