Press Freedom Day: Former NDC communications officer attacks presenter on live radio in Tamale

Correspondence from Northern Region

A former Deputy Northern Regional Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Iddrisu Hardi Pagazaa on Wednesday led an attack on Tamale-based radio presenter, Abubakari Sadiq while the victim was hosting a live show.

Mr. Sadiq was hosting his political talk show in Dagbanli dubbed Panpantua on Class Media’s Dagbon FM when the visibly angry former Deputy Communications Officer stormed into the studio with a macho man to attack him while the programme was broadcast live on Radio and Facebook.

The attack coincidentally happened on World Press Freedom Day when Ghana dropped to 62nd on the Press Freedom Ranking by Reporters Without Borders.

“Sadiq [host] what have I done to you?” Mr. Pagazaa is heard quizzing the presenter in Dagbanli before aggressively holding him by his neck and off his seat.

“Let me hit him just once… You see this man, don’t joke with him, else you’ll die” the macho man was also heard on live radio threatening to beat the presenter before Mr. Pagazaa stopped him.

A fisticuff then ensued amongst them as the presenter attempted to set himself free.

“We are live and I don’t want us to spoil items in the studio, if you know you are a man, let’s go out and fight one-on-one,” Mr. Sadiq was also heard in the exchanges which were carried on live radio.

The NDC Communicator was unhappy that the presenter was constantly using an audio recording of him campaigning for Alhaji ABA Fuseini, MP for Sagnarigu while framing him up for public ridicule.

In the viral audio, Mr. Hardi Pagazaa is heard urging Sagnarigu Constituency delegates of the NDC to vote for Alhaji ABA Fuseini because he was the only candidate among the other candidates contesting the NDC primaries in the constituency to have openly stood and supported the Andani Royal Family during the critical moments of the defunct Dagbon chieftaincy crisis.

The presenter has since been critical of the comments of Mr. Pagazaa, drawing his anger.

A media development and rights advocate, Leatrice Naa Kwarley Richardson urged the media in Tamale to suspend all political talk shows in protest against the attacks.

She told GhanaWeb on Thursday that the media must begin to boycott persons or political parties that continuously attack them.

Madam Naa Kwarley blamed management of media houses for doing little to protect their staff from the constant attacks.

“Most of these politicians treat our media guys with gross disrespect because management does nothing to address abuse when it happens.

They use the platforms and take its moderator for granted because they assume it’s for useless people without no future,” she said.

The General Manager of Yendi-based Sankara Radio, Mohammed Shaharan Suhuyini called for the immediate arrest of Mr Pagazaa.

“Tamale is not an Island. This harassment must not go unpunished,” he said.

Watch the video below: