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General News of Monday, 26 March 2012

Source: GNA

Pressure group to petition IGP on alleged 'Asempa FM raid'

Forum for Governance and Justice (FGJ), a pressure group, said it would on Tuesday petition the Inspector General of Police (IGP) on the alleged “raiding of Asempa FM by angry NPP supporters”.

A statement issued by Dr Clement A. Apaak, Convener of FGJ, said the move formed part of efforts to “promote good governance, protect the right to free speech as well as enhance media freedom.

It said: “The FGJ believes that if not investigated and sanctions exacted, unfortunate occurrences, such as the raiding of Asempa FM on February 24, 2012 could inspire the copy-cat effect (an action, carried out in imitation of another).

The statement said FGJ would file its petition to the IGP and would provide video evidence as part of the petition to promote democracy and justice.

It said: “FGJ is calling for this investigation also because its (FGJ) checks indicate that, the management of the said station (Asempa FM) has been silent on the matter and has not taken the time to report this disturbing occurrence to the police formally.

“Peace loving and well meaning Ghanaians will not accept situations where hundreds of political party supporters besiege the premises of FM stations threatening to beat up panelists from another political party.

“The seriousness of the Asempa FM incident on February 24, is reflected in the fact that it took workers of both Joy FM and Asempa FM to prevent the mob, led by the youth organizer of the NPP, Anthony Karbo and his predecessor, John Boadu, from entering the studio before security forces arrived.”

The FGJ said while it is true that personnel from the Ghana Police Service later arrived to calm matters, “The FGJ feels that in the national interest and for the sake of our collective desire to march towards a peaceful election, the IGP must initiate an investigation into this matter”.

The group asked the IGP to conduct investigation into what Myjoyonline noted as “Angry NPP supporters besiege Asempa FM”.

The statement called on the IGP “to consider the prosecution of those involved in this act of intolerance and lawlessness to serve as a deterrent to others. We believe that it is necessary to take bold action in this matter in order to avoid a copy cat effect.”**