The government has expressed serious concern over the proclivity of sections of the media to indulge in mischief making reportage, even when the facts are available.

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The Ghana Palaver in its Tuesday May 13-Thursday 15, 2003 edition published a bizarre front page story (READ) in which it sought to question the whereabouts of Nana Akufo Addo, Minister of Foreign Affairs, even though that same story disclosed that, “he was announced as having travelled outside the country on official Government business.”

In the story being referred to, the paper sought to put a tribal twist to the absence of the Foreign Minister from the President’s official delegation to Mauritius. It is most objectionable and shameful, Palaver’s consistent attempts to sacrifice the truth for parochial and unwholesome politics and put its characteristic nation-wrecking tribal spin on the issue.

The Foreign Minister left Accra on 26th April 2003 at the head of an ECOWAS team of Foreign Ministers on an eight-nation tour. A press statement on this was duly released on 28th April 2003, by this Ministry while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs release a follow up statement on May 5 2003. Indeed the Foreign Minister arrives today Tuesday May 13, 2003. While the political agenda of the Ghana Palaver is clear, it needs to ensure that basic professional requirements like cross-checking information and responsible journalism are adhered to, at all times.

The government is united and not bedevilled by the personality conflicts of other parties, and is focused on the job given it by the people of Ghana. It is hoped that media houses will avail themselves the open door policy of the government to cross-check information before going public.