The Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide Newspaper, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako Junior, has described government’s move to boycott all multimedia platforms as a cowardly and unstrategic act, ABC News Ghana can report.

The veteran journalist made the comment last Saturday’s edition of Joy FM/Multi TV’s Newsfile programme. Kweku Baako in his commentary monitored by ABC News Ghana sought to find out from host of the show, Samson Lardy Anyenini, whether or not there was an official communique from the government over a boycott of all Multimedia platforms following the airing of a documentary by the station, Militia in the heart of the nation.

The host of the show, Lawyer Samson Lardi Anyenini clarified that there seemed to be a poorly managed attempt by government officials to boycott all MGL platforms. Producers of NewsFile, Samson Lardy added, had tried relentlessly to get government representatives on the popular news analysis talk show in the past weeks but have been met with disapproval flowing from comments such as, “we have been asked not to appear on the show for now.”

“There seems to be something like that even though it does not seem to be properly coordinated. Producers tell you we contacted this person and they tell you that we are told not to speak until maybe we get an apology, as if it is forced,” Mr. Anyenini said.

Based on this revelation by the host of the show, Mr. Baako remarked that the move was a wrong one. “I pray it’s not official, otherwise it’s cowardly and unstrategic and I didn’t expect it to come from the NPP.”

Kweku Baako appealed to government to reconsider the decision urging that the stance is uncharacteristic of such a listening government.



Background

On the 7th of March, 2019, Multimedia journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni and Joy News produced and aired a documentary dubbed “Militia in the Heart of the Nation.” The documentary alleged a pro-New Patriotic Party (NPP) militia group training within the Christianborg Castle.

The government of Ghana rejected the claims by the reporter in the said documentary insisting that government had not sanctioned any such group to operate at the Osu Castle. Seeing this documentary as an attempt to dent the image of President Akufo-Addo, particularly at a time when he had called for the disbandment of all political party vigilante groups, the government, through the Minister for Information filed a petition at the National Media Commission to get the Multimedia Group to retract and apologize to government.

The matter is currently before the National Media Commission which has already taken preliminary statements from the two interested parties.