GJA states position on alleged bribery of Upper East Journalists

The National Executive of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) on Tuesday issued a statement on a report of investigations carried out by its Upper East Branch on the alleged bribery of Journalists in the Region.

The following is the full text of the statement signed by Mr Ransford Tetteh, GJA President:

“The National Executive of the Ghana Journalists Association has studied the report of the Upper East Regional Branch Executive concerning allegations of attempted bribery of some Journalists in that Region.

“The three-member fact finding committee chaired by the Upper East Regional Chairman, Mr Eric Amoh established the following:

That two people, Abdulai Issaka, a Stringer of Metro TV, and an Intern of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) were given letters of appointment by the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP).

“The Committee said in the case of the GBC Intern, this was done following an application from GBC and also the application followed the laid down regulations.

“But in the case of Mr Issaka, the appointment was secured for him by Mr Samuel Abaane, the Enquirer Correspondent and a member of the NDC Communication Team in the Upper East Region.

“On the ‘Baba Jamal Tape’, the Committee said it was difficult to establish any connection between the purported tape and the official meeting held by Mr Jamal with the press in that Region.

“It added that the Deputy Information Minister did not make those statements captured on the tape during his official meeting with the press.

“The Committee said it could not establish if there was any other meeting or meetings by the Deputy Minister for Information with any other group or groups after the official interaction with the media.

“The two main characters who were mentioned, Mr Joseph Osei and Mr Samuel Abaane, disagreed on the occurrence of a second meeting.

“Mr Osei insisted that such a meeting took place while Mr Abaane said no such meeting took place. Those mentioned by Mr Osei as having been present also denied that such a meeting took place.

“The National Executive hereby concludes that on the basis of the evidence adduced so far, the allegation of wrongdoing by Journalists could not be established, while that of wrongdoing by the Deputy Minister of Information could also not be proven.

“In spite of the spirited effort by the fact finding Committee to unravel the issues, they did not have the technical capacity to interrogate all the issues.

“Under the circumstances, the GJA wishes to advise those, who made the allegations, to formally petition the National Media Commission if they are so minded.

“This will be in line with Article 167 (b) of the Constitution, which states that the ‘The functions of the National Media Commission are to take all appropriate measures to ensure the establishment and maintenance of the highest journalistic standards in the mass media, including the investigation, mediation and settlement of complaints made against or by the press or other mass media’

“We believe the NMC as a constitutional body is in a better stead to collaborate with security agencies to establish other aspects of the allegations, especially as they relate to the credibility or otherwise of the contents of the tape under reference.”