Government has debunked claims that they ignored Pro-NDC radio station, Radio Gold during the maiden edition of Nana Addo’s official interaction with the media at the Flagstaff House on Tuesday.
The Minister of Information, Mustapha Abdul-Hamid who was the coordinator at the event says the claims are “untrue” as purported.
Speaking on NEAT FM’s morning show, ‘Ghana Montie’, Mustapha Hamid was emphatic that he personally ordered the inclusion of a Radio Gold journalist to partake in the event.
“It’s not true that we did not invite them, I ordered my deputy and personal assistant to call them. We spoke to a gentleman called Alfred; I personally spoke to him and gave him a special invitation to come to the event,” he said.
“I wonder why they are saying we did not invite them. Even during the program, I was personally going around asking if the Radio Gold journalist we invited has come. I knew this kind of allegations will come out after the program so I personally invited them. I am telling you on authority,” the Minister told host, Kwesi Aboagye.
Perry Okudzeto's Assertion
However, reports indicated yesterday that Radio Gold, a media house affiliated to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) was not invited.
Responding to these reports, Perry Okudzeto, Deputy Information Minister said it was not only Radio Gold that was not invited.
According to him, it was not intentional and that they couldn’t have invited all the media houses in the country because of the numbers.
He said there were a total of over 350 radio stations, over 150 newspapers and close to 20 television stations in Ghana, therefore, “it was not a possibility that we will have a representative from every single media house.”
Explaining why Radio Gold was not invited, Mr Okudzeto said it was not done with a motive to discriminate against media houses and their political affiliations.
“There is no discrimination as to particular media houses that have been invited,” he said, and added that the Ministers at the Ministry of information when they took office visited all media houses including Peace FM, Radio Gold and Montie FM to interact and see how they could collaborate because, “they also represent a section of the Ghanaian society.”
He however assured that those media houses that were not invited will get the opportunity to be invited another time.
“Media houses in the country are many and so we found a way of pruning down the number. It was not because of any political affiliation . . . we had to send out invitation to some and not all. It is not only Radio Gold that was not invited; other stations in Accra were also not invited. It is not under his (Akufo-Addo) presidency that we are going to discriminate against a particular media house. Another opportunity will come again and some media houses will be invited, others will not be invited. We cannot invite or call every journalist or media house to come. It is about Ghana and how we move forward as a nation. It is not about whether or not a particularly media house was invited,” he added in an interview on Peace FM's morning show 'Kokrokoo'.
Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/ Twitter: @Washman5/ Instagram: Washman007
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Who is telling the truth now Minister or his deputy ? No surprise here at all.
Was Oman FM invited to such meetings during the NDC's era. If no then why this noise? Infact we are fed up with this childish behaviour of the NDC. We are giving you a doze of how you treated Oman FM during your reign and you are crying. You haven't seen anything yet. We are happy that you are feeling the pinch.
is it the first time a media house was not invited to a president encounter with media?????????. let us ask the ndc if in thier 8 yrs they were able to invite all the media housess in the country to such occasions???????
The Minister has MENTIONED one Alfred's name so that person Alfred can testify. He the Minister said he is aware that such an allegation will come after the encounter so he Personally invited them. What proof again do we need or want here to belief. They did NOT come so that they can use is as PROPAGANDA. But it will not wash.
Which is which? The minister says they invited radio Gold, his deputy says they did not, who should we believe
What proves that they were invited? its very discriminatory if this is how the media is going to handled. Mustapha hammid Hon. should come again its not true he invited radio gold
WHEN WILL MY PARTY NDC STOP TELLING LIES ALL THE TIME WE HAVE LIED AND HAS BROUGHT A DEFECT AND DISGRACE STILL WE KEEP ON LYING WHY.,
@Kay are you okay? No wonder you and your NPP continue to overrate Bawumia who knows next to nothing in economics despite having "chewed and poured" to obtain a Phd. We shall all get to know how hollow your Bawumia is in economic matters very soon.
You must be an ***barred word*** . Prof is right and you better listen and watch . You people get irritated when criticized . Get out of the kitchen if you find it too hot
I heard this Minister GhanaOne TV saying that Radio Gold was not invited and said it was normal. He said he worked with Statesman and was never invited to NDC organized press briefings. Why is he telling lies now?