[ 2016-11-30 ]

EC can’t provide accreditation for all journalists – NMC
The Chairman of the National Media Commission
(NMC), Mr. Kwasi Gyan Appenteng, has said the
Electoral Commission (EC) cannot accredit every
journalist everywhere in Ghana.

He says the EC cannot accredit every journalist in
all the corners of Ghana where the elections will
take place.

The NMC boss noted: “We have to accept our
responsibilities as media practitioners and
organisations, and should be able to pay for the
little to enable us to move round.”

According to him, this should be an exciting time
for every journalist as we experience the festival
of democracy.

Answering a question at the NMC’s new election
monitoring report for Kumasi, under the auspices
of the European Union (EU), Mr. Appenteng
indicated that his views about the EC demanding
money from the media for accreditation was
personal and does not represent the stance of the
NMC.

He noted: “The elections will take place across
the country, and journalists should feel free to
report the process. The accreditation is a very
specific process. It will enable journalists to do
certain things; probably to have more access to
the election officials.”

The Executive Secretary of the NMC, Mr. George
Sarpong, who took the media through a
presentation, revealed that Kumasi media personnel
are giving the political parties wider coverage
than what the people are looking up to.

According to him, Kumasi-based radio stations
allotted 79 percent of their coverage to political
parties, namely, New Patriotic Party and National
Democratic Congress (NDC), recording 42% and 36%
respectively, with the Progressive People’s
Party (PPP), Convention People’s Party (CPP) and
others following.

Mr. Sarpong revealed that the EC, referee in the
upcoming elections, recorded 7% of media coverage
in Kumasi.

He explained that the grievances of the masses in
Kumasi are unemployment, education, utility bills
and others, but these issues are not topical in
the media.

He urged the media to be gender balanced in
reportage and allow the voices of women to be
heard.

Source - Ghanaian Chronicle

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