President John Dramani Mahama’s first “Meet the Press” session (in his second term) held on September 10, 2025, once again highlighted the central role of the media in Ghana’s democracy.

Journalists drawn from across the country and abroad engaged the President on a wide range of issues, from corruption investigations and youth unemployment to international borrowing, migration, sports and the creative arts.

The diversity of voices on display underscored both the vitality and the complexity of Ghana’s media landscape.

Television outlets led the charge, making up nearly half of all interventions. Stations such as TV3, Onua TV, GH One, and GTV directed probing questions on governance, the economy, and service delivery.

Radio stations, including Joy FM, Adom, Angel, Rich FM, A1 Radio, and Mike FM, contributed about a quarter of the questions, many focusing on local development concerns such as tariffs, and irrigation.

The presence of international media, notably: Bloomberg, BBC, Xinhua, and RFI/Le Monde Afrique/TV5 situated Ghana’s governance issues within a broader global context. Their questions on debt, trade, and diplomacy reminded both policymakers and citizens that Ghana’s choices carry regional and international implications.

The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) raised questions on remuneration and safety, signalling the importance of protecting journalists as part of safeguarding press freedom.

The Daily Guide was the lone print outlet present, reflecting the shrinking role of newspapers compared to broadcast and digital platforms.

One of the session’s notable achievements was the inclusion of regional voices. Journalists from the Northern and Central regions were able to participate virtually.

This ensured that the conversation was not limited to Accra-based outlets and helped surface issues of regional concern such as youth employment, irrigation, and infrastructure.

This innovation deserves commendation. By leveraging virtual participation, the organisers created space for perspectives that might otherwise have been left out, reinforcing the principle that governance is national and not merely urban.

Alongside these strengths, some concerns were raised about how reporters were selected to ask their questions. At present, the moderator (Presidential Spokesperson and Minister of State for Government Communications), exercises discretion over who participates.

While this practice is common worldwide, it has the potential to raise questions about fairness, particularly in a Ghana’s politically polarized media landscape.

Here lies an opportunity for Ghana to lead. By adopting simple, transparent technology (randomised digital queue system) to randomise or queue questioners, the process could be made more objective.

Every accredited journalist, regardless of their outlet’s size or location, would have an equal chance to engage the President directly.

Looking ahead, pairing this diversity with a more transparent question-selection process would further strengthen the credibility of “Meet the Press.” Ghana already took a commendable step by broadening participation through virtual means.

Extending this innovation to ensure equal opportunity in question selection would consolidate the country’s reputation as a leader in democratic governance and media freedom.