Holding party cards will compromise Journos – Israel Laryea

Broadcast Journalist Israel Laryea says he is vehemently opposed to the idea of journos holding political party cards.

According to him, such a move will compromise the fairness of journalists in their line of duty.

Information Minister-designate Kojo Nkrumah told the Appointments Committee of Parliament last week during his vetting that there was nothing wrong with journalists picking political party cards.

“I do know that today there are a lot of journalists out there who are members, some are card bearing of various political parties. That in itself is not bad,” he told the committee.

“The test is how you are able to do your work with professionalism so that at the end of the day, the average viewer or listener will say that has been a fair job. It doesn’t seem to have pondered to any side,” he added.

But speaking on Starr Chat with Bola Ray Wednesday, Laryea countered that it is unacceptable for journalists to bear political party cards.



“It shouldn’t happen. It shouldn’t happen,” he stated adding, “Clearly, it will compromise you.”

Touching on the recently held Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Awards, Laryea said colleague journalist at Multimedia Seth Kwame Boateng should have been adjudged Journalist of the year.

According to him, even though the eventual winner Bernard Avle of Citi FM deserved the award, considering the year under review, Kwame Boateng should have taken home the prestigious plaque.

“Considering the year under review, it should have been Seth Kwame Boateng, but Bernard Avle deserves it per his track record,” Laryea told Bola Ray on Starr Chat Wednesday adding “ok so for Bernard Avle again [it is] not so much about the year under review, he has a track record and I’m saying he probably should have been recognized some time back.”

“The work that Seth Kwame Boateng did with the mother and baby unit at the Okomfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, he did extensive work, it wasn’t his sole effort, he had a whole team backing him but that was great work considering the year under review.”