CHARGES ON EXECUTIVE MEMBER TO COME CLEAN

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of classic fm, Mr. Fred Zeini on 27th January, 2007 refuted the numerous allegations leveled against him by the leadership of the biggest opposition party in the country, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Techiman North and South constituencies at a press conference held on 24th January, 2007.

Addressing a well attending press briefing organized by the management of the station, he explained that he has nothing against the executive or floor members of NDC within Techiman municipality and asked them to come clean. Reacting to the scores of attacks waged against his reputation by the Brong Ahafo regional chairman of the umbrella family, lawyer Owusu Agyemang, the CEO expressed deep regret over the actions of the regional chairman, adding that he never thought a person he had contributed in his education could raise such verbal inferno against him.

According to the CEO, the NDC leadership in Techiman municipality have in recent times raised countless verbal missiles on his hard fought reputation and time has come for him to respond to them one after the other. Filled with surprise, Mr. Zeini pointed out all the allegations raised by the regional chairman during the presentation of that pocket press conference at Techiman Zongo L/A school where by the only invited media house, ASTA FM, based in Techiman was coached on what to report, in other words singing the tone of the umbrella family.

He said it is unheard of for some one who belongs to the Ghana Bar Association to use all kinds of provocative words against him knowing well the punishment associated with defamation of character. The CEO tendered his presentation with letters explaining that Classic Fm is very neutral in all its political programmes, it is therefore not true that it is in to sabotage the existence of NDC in Techiman municipality.

Amidst standing ovation from the observers who stormed the station’s premises, it was gathered that before becoming the regional chairman, the Techiman based legal practitioner, Lawyer Agyemang was part of the news paper review panel but have to be suspended following his recalcitrant attitude to stick simple advice. This is because the regional chairman used abusive language against people in authority without taking into account the consequence of it.

Mr. Zeini reiterated that, the then ordinary figure in NDC descended on the integrity of Prof. Christopher Ameyaw AKUmfi , after charging that he has performed abysmally and if giving the opportunity to access him , he would give him 0.0%. This, the CEO said was compel to call the regional chairman on one occasion to advice him to change his attitude because he cannot feed the public with such information without backing it with concrete facts and figures. This advice fell on deaf ears as lawyer Agyemang went on to attack key figures in the ruling government without any proof to buttress his points. On one instance the barrister and two panel members, Bright and Babs engaged in serious scuffle with him over his uncontrollable comments. The station’s management had no other alternative than to expel the themfrom the newspaper crew.

As stated by the aged that birds with the same feathers flock together, one Mumuni Saaka, another NDC activist came to replace lawyer Owusu Agyemang. He however exhibited similar features, insulting the station’s management on air. Before that unpardonable action he had already insulted the general manager in relation to his comportment.

The CEO told the press that Mumuni Saaka had preferred to be allowed by the host of the morning show, Nana Yaw Ayensu Asiedu to allow him ample time to draw authorities name into the mud. When asked to come clean, he had the audacity to say on air that ‘I have already accomplish my goal; helping the NDC to win all the two seats in Techiman north and south constituencies, therefore I don’t see it worthy to express my views on Classic Fm’. Mr. Zeini said based on his own utterances he too was shown the red card. He noted that there was no outside influence attached to the two decisions but to create a platform difficult enough for people to use the station to do dirty politics.

He was of the view that Classic Fm as a reputable electronic set would not sit down for politicians to use it as stooge and for sanity to prevail it would go extra mile to combat the unscrupulous ones before the situation gets out of hand completely.He made reference to the 2006 wahala demonstration organized in the commercial capital by the Committee for joint Action (CJA) and said during that demonstration core members of NDC in Techiman municipality led their vociferous supporters who had sojourned from different places to stand in front of the station several minutes sending all forms of insults. It took the security men a hectic time to form cordon to prevent the demonstrators trespassing.

Mr. Zeini stated emphatically that, socially some staff of the station that were poached by other radio stations in Accra and Kumasi were instigated by lawyer Agyemang after flouting over contractual agreement made. He took the opportunity to refute another assertion that he is callous to his staff and entreated the media men to rely on facts squabbling as their working principles.

On his part the news editor of Classic fm, Mr. Eric Bawah retorted that time has come for the NDC set in Techiman to eschew the use of black propaganda to attack people’s mirror image on baseless grounds. In a related development, ex - staff of the station, Mr. Kwabena Asante whom, the regional chairman alleged was maltreated and sacked, contrary to the country’s labour law by the CEO said there is no iota of truth in that statement. Speaking to Classic news in an interview, Mr. Asante said there was no scuffle over his departure.