Media pressure group United Press for Development Network (UPDN) has called out the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to cease henceforth with, what it referred to as naysaying and attack on radio programmes that seek to highlight flaws in government policies.
The group said it is condemnable, comments made by the President in Cape Coast over the weekend in relation to Accra based Joy FM’s assessment of the free SHS policy.
At a special function on Saturday in Cape Coast, where an Honorary Doctorate Degree was conferred on him, the President in his speech, made allusion to a radio programme that sought to criticize government’s much touted free SHS policy.
He said “A radio station is currently running a campaign against free SHS, during the last election. I got the clear impression free SHS has been endorsed by all political parties and all we needed to do was to keep improving it, will a spirited defense of the free SHS policy constitute an attack on press freedom? I wonder, it cannot be that everyone has the right of reply except members of the government and officialdom…”
However, UPDN in a statement said the President’s comments constituted an attack on the media house and all other media houses that are critical of government’s policies, adding the comments of Nana Addo are retrogressive approach to solving societal problems.
The group also expressed shock as to how a review of the free SHS policy which gave opportunity to all stakeholders including the Ghana Education Service to respond to numerous complaints filed by Parents, Head Teachers and Students could be said to be a spirited campaign on the policy.
The attempt by politicians who vilify and denigrate credentials of media organizations and broadcasters who discuss challenges faced with government’s policies is uncalled for, and must stop immediately, it added.
The statement concluded with a request to the Office of the President, Government appointees and New Patriotic Party (NPP), to refrain from naysaying, media attacks and pay much attention to current reaction and challenges faced by parents, teachers, Head teachers and students for the successful execution of the policy.
