Ayeboafo launches his GJA presidential campaign

Accra, Aug. 8, GNA - Mr Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafo, one of the two aspirants for the presidency of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) on Friday launched his election campaign at the Ghana News Agency (GNA) saying he would work to insulate Journalists from fear and abuse.

Mr Boadu-Ayeboafo, who is the Editor of the Daily Graphic, said his vision would be to strengthen and accomplish the Association's goals, a vision that would see the present breed of Journalists standing for their right and the truth without fear.

He said this when he addressed staff of the GNA to solicit votes in the forthcoming GJA elections slated for August 21, 2003.

Mr Yaw Owusu Addo, Director of News, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, is the other contestant in the race to succeed Mrs Gifty Affenyi-Dadzie, the President.

Mr Boadu-Ayeboagfo, who resigned as Vice President of the GJA in 1999 when he took up an appointment as the Executive Secretary of the National Media Commission, said Journalists had allowed themselves to be abused by others for far too long and that the time had come for them to come up and play their distinctive role in the society.

"The beauty of our democracy is that everyone must be bold to say what one has to say without fear."

On irresponsible Journalism, Mr Boadu-Ayeboafo said the creation of a body like the Medical and Dental Council or Judicial Council to regulate journalistic practice was unacceptable because any attempt to regulate free expression would constrain democratic governance.

He advocated self-regulation, saying: "We are the only people, who can educate and advise ourselves and we must be very cautious, since we can destroy. We should know when to apply the breaks so that something good would be left for us. Let's discipline ourselves and not allow outsiders to do that for us."

Mr Boadu-Ayeboafo urged organizers of functions to request some form of identification before allowing reporters to cover their programmes adding this would help to expose impostors.

He admonished Reporters from recognized media houses to desist from assisting quack Reporters by disclosing to them assignment schedules and providing them with fake identification cards.

"When you see them at functions, you have the right to expose them."