ACCRA, Ghana, 7th November: President John Dramani Mahama has reminded state-owned media organisations of their responsibility to provide fair and balanced coverage of diverse political views, irrespective of the political affiliations of their audiences.
He said state-owned media institutions serve all Ghanaians and must therefore ensure that citizens across the political divide have equal opportunities to participate in public discourse.
Speaking at the 30th Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Media Awards, President Mahama stressed that the media’s constitutional independence must be protected to sustain Ghana’s democratic credentials.
“Our state-owned media have a particular duty to give diverse views a fair hearing. They serve citizens of every political persuasion across the length and breadth of our country,” he stated.
The President said his government remains committed to upholding the constitutional guarantees of media freedom and independence.
He emphasised that journalists must be allowed to investigate and publish stories without censorship, intimidation or undue interference.
According to him, the government’s respect for press freedom is best demonstrated when journalists ask difficult questions, particularly those that public officials would rather avoid.
President Mahama, who described himself as having experienced both sides of journalism as a journalist and a politician, said public officials must be willing to respond to questions that challenge their decisions and policies.
He maintained that a president and every other person holding public office must be prepared to listen to uncomfortable questions because they help establish whether government policies are delivering the intended results.
He further pledged that his administration would uphold the media’s mandate to hold government accountable while encouraging journalists to maintain professionalism and editorial independence.
The President was speaking at the 30th GJA Media Awards held under the theme: “Celebrating Excellence, Advancing Media Freedom and Combating Hate Speech in the Digital Age.”
LISTEN TO PRESIDENT JOHN MAHAMA IN THE AUDIO BELOW👇:
Story by: Emmanuel Romeo Tetteh(#RomeoWrites✍️) Presidential Affairs Correspondent | Ghana 🇬🇭
