General News of Wednesday, 6 September 2017

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Stop exposing your cerebral weaknesses – Adom Otchere jabs Manasseh

Paul Adom Otchere was recently sworn in as a board member of National Communication Authority play videoPaul Adom Otchere was recently sworn in as a board member of National Communication Authority

Broadcast Journalist and host of Good Evening Ghana on Metro TV, Paul Adom Otchere has questioned the credibility of Multimedia’s investigative journalist, Manasseh Azure Awuni after the latter quizzed him regarding his closeness to the Ghana Journalist Association (GJA).

Manasseh Azure in a Facebook post asked why the Good Evening Ghana host would share press statements of GJA to media houses adding that he was aware of how close Mr. Adom Otchere is to Jospong Group of Companies and not the GJA.

“Why is Paul Adom Otchere sending the GJA press statement to media houses? I know his closeness with Jospong, but not the GJA!” the post read.

The post seemed to suggest that the current affairs show host was doing the bidding of Jospong Group under the pretext of disseminating a statement from the GJA cautioning the media to exhibit some restraint in its investigative and anti-corruption reportage.

GJA’s call was in the wake of the Jospong Group, owners of, Zoomlion and other subsidiaries, having to deny claims that it inflated the cost of a contract it had with the Mahama government to supply waste bins.

Responding to the issue on his show, Tuesday, Adom Otchere expressed his utter disgust and preyed on Manasseh’s mode of work describing it as unethical.

He cited instances where the Multimedia journalist’s works were incomplete and left much to be desired, stating that Mr. Azure was reducing the bar which had been set by his predecessors at Joy FM.

“I’m a member of the GJA and you are asking that you don’t know my closeness with the GJA? What’s the meaning of that? What kind of desperation is that? This is contradiction in terms. This is what happens when people are motivated in the wrong way to deal with matters that they should be dealing in the public interest with a very level head… Please revise your notes. I am a member of GJA and I canvass for the position of what had been articulated in the GJA statement.

“When you write things like that, you expose your cerebral weaknesses and limitations. Don’t write things like that.



“I want to tell you Mr. Man, that this brand that you’re carrying, it is a very important brand and so don’t debase it…. And put statements like this on your Facebook page that are contradictory in terms, that some form one SSS person can look at and say what but what is he writing about? Mr. Adom Otchere quizzed.

“…journalism is not about catching people and hiding recorders. It’s about taking the document and exposing the intellectual capital” he further chided Manasseh Azure



The board member of the newly constituted National Communication Authority also pitched Citi FM’s Bernard Avle as an example of an astute journalist and charged the Multimedia journalist to follow suit.

In defense to how he is close to the Ghana Journalist Association, Mr. Adom Otchere noted that their relationship dated back to 2001 when he was adjudged the best in News Reporting while he was at Joy FM.

“Me and GJA do you know how far we go, please GJA gave me an award 16 year ago…. and you’re asking that what is my closeness with the GJA, are you alright?" he fumed with rage.

“When you are directing ‘misenergy’ you see what it can do to you. You expose your cerebral weaknesses and limitations. You put up a statement that is laughable, Opana, that’s what you do…” Mr. Adom Otchere directed at Manasseh.

On why he is close to Jospong, Paul Adom Otchere noted that he admired the businessman's depth of ideas.