Hon. Mahama Ayariga
Presidential Spokesperson, Mahama Ayariga, has launched vitriolic attacks on Ghanaian journalists, especially those who write about him, describing them as “beginners and learners” with low education and therefore need to under study their superiors.
“Frankly speaking, I pardon journalists who because of their level of education come up with inaccuracies,” adding that “such journalists should and must study thoroughly the ethics of their profession”.
“Some of the journalists we have in this country (Ghana) can only be described as surplus to the journalism profession,” he added.
He continued, “I know for a fact that majority of journalists here in Ghana are yet to come to terms with the ethics of the profession, because they (referring to the journalists) fumble when they try to present the accurate facts on issues at hand.”
Ayariga also stated that he was “aware of a grand scheme by certain individuals who want to destroy my political ambition, but I will seize this opportunity to tell them that their plan will not work,” bluntly stated Ayariga.
Mahama Ayariga was reacting to claims by one Hajia Gbewu, a leader of a Women Organization based in Bawku that the he was inciting the Kusasis, one of the feuding ethnic groups in the conflict in that part of the country and captured in the Monday’s edition of TODAY newspaper.
Ayariga debased the Journalists on Asempa FM, an Accra based radio station last Monday, during the station’s well patronized afternoon Talk Show programme-Ekosii Sen.
He intoned that as far as he was concerned, Bawku remains his hometown and nothing would stop him from visiting his relatives, stressing that “lots of people require my services to survive.”
According to the former Bawku Central MP, he was aware of some orchestrated attempts by certain political bigwigs who are bent on destroying his hard won reputation in the media.
“Bawku has now become a volatile area because of the irresponsible reporting of some media houses in the country. I personally blame them (journalists) if the ongoing fighting should escalate. As a law abiding person, I will not go on mere grounds, push innocent young men and women to kill one another for nothing,” retorted Mr Ayariga.
It is against this background that Mr Ayariga advised the media to be very circumspect in whatever they report so far as the Bawku matter was concerned, adding that “their reports can make or unmake this country.”
BY KELVIN ADU-TWUM PEPRAH
