The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP has called on all media professionals and well-meaning Ghanaians to seek justice and fair distribution of the Media Fund.
The party has also stressed on the need for government to come clean on the disbursement of the Media fund and constitute a board of trustee to administer the fund moving forward.
A release issued by the Acting Communication Director of the NPP, Perry Okudzeto said the NPP is alarmed by reports of the abuse of the Media Fund by the Ministry of Information.
�What seemed to be a good idea, when the creation of a media fund, with an initial GH1 million to help the development of the media in Ghana, is now turning to be one of the many avenues for misappropriating public funds, which has become characteristics of the Mahama-led NDC administration,� Mr. Okudzeto stated.
According to him, government's response to media reports at the initial stages was that the Media Fund was uninitialized but when answering questions in parliament on it, the Minister of Information, Mahama Ayariga said the budget money for the year 2011 was used to purchase laptops for journalists.
He added that further explanations by the Information Minister and his Deputies are at variance and also to the effect that though the laptops were purchased, only 140 were given to the Ghana Journalist Association (GJA) and the rest were distributed to information service department etc.
�What is even more worrying is the denial by the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA) of receiving any money or laptop from the ministry of information.
Mr. Perry Okudzeto emphasized that it is becoming a ritual in our country what our resources would be expanded on at the least opportunity when some resource is made available to government.
He further said the fetish of Laptops irrespective of quality, durability, cost etc, is becoming rampant and process of such purchase is shrouded in secrecy.
He noted that irrespective of the needs of journalists or students, there is a seeming magic on the part of government in determining that everyone needs laptops.
�The New Patriotic Party believes in among other things the development of the media. A strong and efficient media in Ghana will not only serve as a check but will also help strengthen our democratic credentials� he stated.
The Daily Spaceflight
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