<<Print>>

Propaganda Secretary of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Richard Quashigah, has dismissed claims by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) that the NDC intends to use state funds to induce Journalists to defend the Mills-Mahama administration. The premise of the claims by the opposition NPP is the supposed secret tape recording making the rounds which purports to capture Deputy Information Minister, Baba Jamal promising cash and cars for some journalists in the Upper East Region if they did government�s bidding; an allegation which the deputy minister has described as baseless. He also insists the voice on the tape is just a spurious imitation of his speech mannerisms and certainly not his. Despite the denial, the NPP, on Thursday held a press conference at the party�s headquarters and described as �a blatant misuse of incumbency and power by the NDC government to undermine press freedom, (and) thwart fair reporting", the alleged attempt spearheaded by the deputy Information Minister under the aegis of government to use state funds to induce Journalists to embellish and distort stories to enhance the chances of the NDC ahead of the 2012 general elections. At the said press conference, the NPP asked the National Media Commission (NMC) to investigate the issue and also produced a list of 15 journalists alleged to be part of a national scheme to put pressmen on a special payroll of the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) in order to cover the monthly stipends to be paid them for their defence of the NDC government. The journalists, some with their account numbers attached, were from Joy FM, Ghana News Agency, Daily Graphic, Ghanaian Chronicle, Enquirer, Ghanaian Times, Ura Radio/Radio Ghana amongst others. But speaking in an interview with Citi FM, Richard Quashigah debunked assertions by the NPP that government intends bribing journalists and accused them of fabricating the story. ��it is not true. They are just fabricating stories to tarnish the image of some members in the NDC and the party as a whole; that is exactly what they are doing. What they are saying does not represent what occurred at the meeting with Baba Jamal. The names they mentioned are not names. The NPP when in office embezzled money for journalist to do propaganda for them. They have demonstrated over time that they lack credibility�what they are doing does not surprise us at all. Why must we bribe journalists? It is the NPP who are known to be bribing journalists. The NDC does not bribe journalists�,� he stated.