The attention of the Upper West Regional Campaign Office of Dan Abodakpi, aspiring National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress, has been drawn to a publication in the Saturday, July 19, 2014 issue of the Daily Graphic with the headline “Upper West Media Snubs Abodakpi,” and was subsequently published on the paper’s online portal.

The report stated in part that journalists who attended a scheduled interaction between Ambassador Abodakpi and the media at Wa on Thursday, July 17, ignored the aspirant when the meeting had to be rescheduled three times.

The report further accused the aspirant of not being time conscious, and the journalists who were present for the event.

We wish to state that the report put out is very inaccurate and the accusation is unfortunate.

To set the record straight, the NDC Regional Coordinator for the campaign team scheduled the interaction with the media at 11am. It was to be held after a meeting with the regional executives at the party regional office.
However, the journalists arrived around 9am.The organisers were duly notified of their presence, but informed them that the aspirant could only meet them at 11am which was the scheduled time.

Some of them requested to sit in and cover the meeting with the party executives, but that request was not granted because it was a closed door meeting meant to discuss internal party matters.

Around 10am, after waiting for an hour, the journalists requested to leave since according to them they had other engagements, and agreed to a rescheduling of the meeting to 4pm the same day at the GNAT Hall where the Aspirant was to meet with party delegates. They arrived at the GNAT Hall around 3:30pm at a time the aspirant was still meeting the delegates and party heavy weights in the region who were present to show their commitment to his one team spirit vision.

While the meeting was winding to a close with the question and answer session, the journalists demanded that the Aspirant should be ask to end the meeting with the delegates, and come out to meet the media. The Regional Campaign Coordinator pleaded with them to be patient since the aspirant had to adequately address the issues raised by the delegates before ending the meeting.
However, around 4pm, they journalists grew impatient and left.

So for the report to say that the aspirant showed disrespect to time, is inaccurate, while the accusation by the Upper West Regional chairman of the Ghana Journalists Association, Mr Bajin Pobia, that Ambassador Abodakpi showed gross disrespect to the journalists, is unfair and malicious.

Ambassador Abodakpi, as a person who served in many positions in government, highly respects media practitioners, and has built a good relationship with the media over the years.

With a clear understanding of the importance and critical role of the media in promoting national development, he would be the last person to denigrate media persons, and especially at a time he needs the media to promote his vision for the ruling party.

As much as we remain committed to the cordial relationship with the media, we call for circumspection, fairness and objectivity in media reportage to avoid unnecessary sensationalism.
We express our gratitude profoundly to the over 200 delegates from eleven constituencies in the Upper West region and particularly to the elders who expressed their confidence in the vision of Ambassador Dan Abodakpi; and having shared vision with them, they believe it is time for leadership of the NDC to change baton to re-energise and rebuild the party for the benefit of the party’s mass base.
He remains the most credible candidate to safeguard the prospects of the party in this critical moment of the NDC party in order for it to retain power in 2016 general election.

Thank You

Signed
Ahmed Mankama
Upper West Regional Coordinator
Abodakpi For Chairmanship Campaign Team
0207634057