Ibrahim Dey, Member of Parliamentfor Salaga constituency has castigated the integrity of Ghanaian media alleging that Journalists in Ghana were full of bias and should not be trusted. According to the Salaga MP, Ghanaian Journalists lack special skills in covering events and pretend to be all-round Journalists who offer their readers and listeners nothing but deceptions. Mr Dey made these unsavoury remarks in a hot exchange of words between him and Prince H.M Tawfik Tikumah, northern regional reporter for the Heritage news paper. This open confrontation happened at the Northern Regional Coordinating Council Presidential lodge during Vice President John Dramani Mahama’s arrival from Damongo.

Comparing the Ghanaian Journalists to those in the United States of America, the Salaga MP said local Journalists in Ghana were full of deceptions and described the nation’s Journalism standard as “Gutter journalism.”

He said elsewhere in the USA, Journalists are on top of their job because they acquire special training in areas where they are good at reporting unlike Ghanaian Journalists who report on anything they lay their hands on. The MP therefore challenged local Journalists to stop false pretence and be circumspect in their reportage or plunge the country into chaos with their sensationalism.

In a quick reaction, Mohammed Tawfiq Tikumah doubted his credibility as an honourable Member of Parliament and cursed him that he will not retain his seat come 2012 elections. The Heritage Reporter said the MP’s victory in 2008 was “sakawa” and implored him to follow the footprint of his predecessor Alhaji Boniface Abubakari Sadique. The Heated Argument took the intervention of colleague Journalists at the scene to separate the two personalities whose behaviour nearly marred the beauty of the peaceful outdooring ceremony of the new Gonja King.

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