Longstanding journalist and widely respected critic Afia Pokuaa has declared that no amount of attacks or threats will stop the Ghanaian media from playing its watchdog role of ensuring accountability of the government, emphasizing the point that the media’s role is not to sing the praises of any government.
Ms Pokuaa, known for her bluntness of speech, lashed out at the governing party for sending out gangs of party communicators to attack the media in a bid to silence it.
The only way to muzzle or silence the media, she suggested, will be to kill the practitioners in the media who demand accountability.
“Dear NPP politicians, No amount of threats and attacks will stop the media from asking questions and running commentary over government policies funded with TAX MONEY and not your POCKET money just as you did under previous governments. Our job is not to SING the praises of government like a choir.
When the media questioned and criticized previous governments for their actions in;
*Bus Branding
*GITMO detainees
*Ford scandal
*WOYOME scandal( You even composed a song for that matter)
You saw it as an opportunity to do your thing.
Now the tables have turned and the same media is questioning and criticizing your decisions to opt for VIRTUAL CONCERT, the COST of that concert etc over resolving the problems with the covid 19 alleviation feeding, you send your GANG out to attack the same media to SHUT us up.” She wrote
You better KILL US to shut us up because our job is to demand ACCOUNTABILITY on behalf of the people.
Ms Pokuaa came under intense criticism after she questioned the prudence in using funds meant to fight the COVID-19 pandemic to organise a virtual concert as part of the grand launch of a software application meant to help in tracking the spread of COVID-19.
But Ms Pokuaa insists that she would continue to hold government accountable as long as she is alive.
‘I will continue doing that as long as I live,’ she pledged.
Source: mynewsgh.com