Some Ghanaian social media users have descended heavily on the President of the Ghana Journalist Association (GJA), Mr. Affail Monney over his claims that Citi FM’s Journalist breach the Code of Ethics of the Association when he films the premises of the National Security Ministry.
Citi TV’s Caleb Kudah was on Tuesday, May 11, 2021 arrested at the National Security Ministry when he attempted filming some abandoned vehicles procedure by the Microfinance and Small Loan Scheme for the GPRTU but left to rot.
According to Mr. Kudah, he was beaten several times while in handcuffs adding that at a point he had to deny his ethnicity (Ewe) to help him escape more beatings.
In reaction to the news, the GJA President, Affail Monney said that the journalist breached the Code of Ethics of the association when he [Mr. Kudah] film the premises of the National Security Secretaite without prior permission adding that his intention was not clear.
“Caleb erred as far as our ethics is concerned. He clearly breached the ethics relative to Article 13 of our own code of ethics which specifies journalists should take pictures through fair, straight forward and honest means unless tampered by national interest.” he told Accra-based Joy FM.
“Caleb shouldn’t have filmed without permission and Caleb should have realized that place is a security zone and in every security zone, the security laws apply. It is a no go area as far as photography is concerned and his violation of regulation might have triggered the over reaction from the security operatives. His interest here is not so clear. From the face of it, we believe he erred,” – He added
But the General Secretary of the GJA, Mr. Kofi Yeboah disagreed with the President. He thus defended Citi FM Journalist Caleb Kudah’s decision to film some grounded MASLOC cars parked within the premises of the National Security Ministry.
“Insofar as the public/national interest was at stake (as evidenced in his narrative), he was firmly within the bounds of journalism ethics, including Article 13 of the GJA Code of Ethics,” Mr. Yeboah said in a post on Facebook.
Mr. Yeboah stressed that “the nebulous identity of national security cannot, and should not, be allowed to strip the media of its cardinal constitutional mandate under Article 162(5): “All agencies of the mass media shall, at all times, be free to uphold the principles, provisions and objectives of this Constitution, and SHALL uphold the responsibility and accountability of the Government to the people of Ghana”.
He has further asked Ghanaians to “encourage civility and the rule of law, which are trademarks and honorifics of constitutional governance rather than brute and barbarism, which are hallmarks and horrific of military juntas.”
Ghanaians took to social media to express their shock over how the GJA president could not defend their own in the face of the atrocities melted out on him by the National Security officers.
“Hmmm unfortunate nothing happened yet between the leaders of GJA because they followed their stomach they can’t tell the truth and they can’t talk against their government useless people” – a FB user said
“GJA President follows his stomach, he fear to tell the truth. Coward man”
“The President of the GJA is an — and a bootlicker. Let us agree that he breached the ethics of the profession and in the circumstance committed a crime. Is he saying that the ranbostyle of arrest is justified. We doomed if a person like this is a leader.” – Another said
Investigative journalist, Manase Azure Awuni wrote “I agree with Affail Monney. Caleb Kudah broke the Code of Ethics of the Ghana Jokers Association (GJA).”
Meaning the National Security Ministry said it will investigations the claims by the Journalist.
1 comment
an absurd controversy
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