General News of Sunday, 4 November 2012

Source: Asamoah-Siaw, Kofi

Media Conspiracy Against PPP Will Fail

This morning, a well-known radio station in Accra plans to discuss
PPP's exclusion from the IEA debates. Yet, it has refused to allow
PPP a representative on a panel of four or more to engage in the
discussion. What does this station and its owners and managers stand
to lose if they allow us to tell our own story and sit there to debate
the topic with others? This blatant attempt to promote a two-party
state in Ghana will fail. Ghanaians are not buying it. People keep
asking us why PPP has been consistently excluded from discussion
programs at that station.

Last night, producers at other radio stations have informed us about
pressure from NDC bigwigs to remove our people from their discussion
panels. Two TV stations have made sure our people are not invited to
discussions and avoid mention of the name of PPP except when the story
is negative.

When our Flagbearer went to Korle Bu Teaching Hospital and asked for a
medical examination, some media companies chose to ignore Dr. Nduom's
request and reported the answer of the Korle Bu CEO who confirmed the
need for all presidential candidates to go for a medical examination.

In fact, some political parties have resolved not to allow their
presidential candidates to appear at any media encounter, debate etc.
that involves our presidential candidate so that they are not made
"small". We are not amused by this.

Multi-party democracy is at risk in Ghana. We have forgotten how we
went from a two-party state to a one party one in the 1960s. All
Ghanaians must work and indeed have called upon by our national anthem
to "...resist oppressors rule". When dissenting voices are silenced
so will the voices of all of the people sooner or later. Our
constitution is clear about Multi-party democracy. That is why there
is a political parties law to guide the formation and operation of
parties in Ghana. All must work to strengthen our multi-party
democracy.

We ask all PPP members and supporters to continue to take our message
directly to the people. For us community to community, person to
person campaign will work and indeed it is our grassroots penetration
in certain constituencies across the country that is making so-called
giants and their accomplices nervous. Let's continue to tell
Ghanaians not to vote for those who have disappointed them in the 4th
Republic.

We wish to thank the radio and TV stations who have given us a
platform to sell our excellent ideas and solutions directly to the
people of Ghana. We have decided to participate in the parliamentary
and presidential debates and platforms offered by these media houses
even when others have refused to participate in them.

We are grateful to GNAT, WILDAF, Ghana Employers Association, Peasant
Farmers Association, Ghana Youth Forum and others who have given as
opportunities to demonstrate how good we are.

The people will speak for the PPP on 7th December.

We are wide Awake!

Kofi Asamoah-Siaw
National Secretary, PPP

2 December 2012