The New Patriotic Party (NPP) government, cornered by a section of the media, with ‘hot’ criticisms against its non-performance has turned round to initiate moves to control the press, in general.

The move follows hot exchanges among government members, many of whom are blaming the Attorney-General for hurriedly repealing the Criminal Libel Law and thus giving the press a wider scope for operation.

Steps already taken to curb press freedom include the changes made at the state media houses, where journalists, suspected of being too “independent-minded” are being either “diplomatically” thrown out or technically rendered dysfunctional.

The affected places include the Daily Graphic, the New Times Corporation, the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation and the Ghana News Agency, where political-reshuffling exercise is being conducted on the quiet.

The next move is the initiation of a new law, which, will in effect, re-introduce the “Newspaper Licensing Law,” in another form. The law, if enacted, will be operated by the National Media Commission (NMC).

According to new proposals in a Legislative Instrument being put in shape at the Attorney-General’s Office, publishers would be requested to submit such information that would place them at the mercy of the NMC.

For instance, in applying for the registration of a newspaper, the commission would require “detailed curriculum vitae of the editor, publisher and owner of the paper.” Of more concern is the provision, which makes offences under the new law, punishable by jail terms, in cases, which can even be less serious than the repealed Criminal Libel Law.

Under the Newspaper Licences Act, there were no such “jail penalties.” Observers have also noted, with concern the powers being granted the NMC, which can be used to withdraw or cancel the licences of some perceived “anti-government” newspapers.

GHANA MONEY, NOT NPP MONEY

The PALAVER's editorial writes that it is simply alarmed and appalled by the way the Government is turning this country into an exclusive party enclave, ignoring all laid down procedures in Government, especially in the handling of the country’s finances, as if “Government money is NPP money”.

The paper writes that this is what is happening at the Dade Kotopon Constituency where the MP is alleged to have given some money for poverty alleviation.

According to the paper, this is a repetition of what happened during the Busia regime, when supposedly national programmes, under the so-called Small-Scale Business Loans Scheme, was operated exclusively for the then Progress Party (PP) members.

ACCRA RESIDENTS REJECT “ORANGE” BUSES

According to the PALAVER, the “orange” buses which have been earmarked by the Kufuor administration to form the basis for its mass transportation programme, have been roundly rejected by residents of Accra.

Members of the public who spoke to the “Ghana Palaver” deplored the government’s lack of sympathy for the masses in fixing a high fare for a system it claims has come to provide relief for them and also the placement of the service on routes which are not in dire need of such buses.