To ensure that Ghana secured an amicable lawful transition through a legitimate, open and verifiable election, journalists have been schooled on the role they have to play to ensure this aim is achieved. The education was done by the Distinguished Scholars of Africa (DISTINSA) in Accra.
Addressing media at the event, President of the association, Nana Oppong indicated that there was no guarantee that the looser of the elections will accept the results hence the need to educate the media for them to also school the citizens on their role in ensuring that Ghana secured an amicable lawful transition.
Spelling out responsibilities of journalists, the President opined that media personnel should also record and report truthfully, fairly and timeously. He also advocated that they should encourage the citizens to respect facts and not hearsays and ensure bipartisan commitment while seeking to resolve any issue that may arise in their line of duty peacefully.
He again said the media should ensure that the election management allowed all citizens to vote freely and orderly on election day as well as guaranteed unimpeded access by independent observers and monitors from all parties to every polling station.
On the security agencies, Mr Oppong said that the media should ensure that the security personnel worked professionally and independently to protect lives and election materials.
Dr Bernard Tetteh Dumaya, CEO of TD Afrik Gruppe who chaired the program said that it was important that journalists and other critical stakeholders in the election management body were properly positioned for the job ahead.
“We must remind ourselves that challenges may arise so it was important that the media and Ghanaians as a whole are cautioned.”
He said he was already happy with the vibrant nature of the Ghanaian media though there were some charlatans who would always thwart the efforts of the good ones hence the need to caution the media to take measures.
The Projects and Programs Specialist of the Anti-Corruption Institute, Mr Issac Kwabena Abrokwa dwelt on the judicial arm of government.
According to Mr Abrokwa, the judiciary plays a very important role in the election in that Article 64 of the 1992 mandates an individual who is aggrieved about the outcome of the election to challenge it at the Supreme Court or a court of competent jurisdiction.
“Therefore, it was very important judges were patriotic, learned and truly free to do what is right. Unless Judges of the Supreme Court are free to do justice, there can be no true freedom for anyone, Mr Abrokwa indicated.
The problem we have in this country is that security, finances and tenure of judges are in the hands of the President or the ruling Party hence the courts can be manipulated to rule in favor of the President or ruling Party,” he observed.
He stated that time is not on the country’s side as the election was very near, as such the only thing to be done was to ensure that the citizens know what the constitution says about the elections and make them demand authorities to act accordingly.
But going forward, the power of the President or the ruling party must be curtailed so that they don’t have a say in the appoint or firing of judges, Mr Abrokwa said.
He continued that there must be alternative ways of appointing, electing and supporting judges to ensure that no President or ruling Party intimidates, manipulates or forces them to rule in his or their favor.
The post Election 2020: DISTINSA advocates for amicable lawful transition appeared first on The Chronicle Online.
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