The Speaker of Parliament has no power or authority to gag the media, according to the Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr.
Rt. Hon Prof Mike Aaron Ocquaye, reportedly issued a stern warning to members of the Parliamentary Press Corps at Wednesday's sitting.
This follows a complaint from the Majority Leader Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu to the effect that journalists abandoned proceedings of the House to give audience to the MP for Ellembelle Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah who had concerns about the Energy sector aspect of the President's 2020 State of the Nation Address.
Speaking on the floor of the House, Rt Hon Mike Oquaye indicated that he will not hesitate to declare journalists as strangers in parliament by revoking their accreditation if due coverage is not given to proceedings in the House.
"It is forbidden if they have any doubt to abandon the permission given them to cover proceeding in this honorable House and go outside the chamber itself and do some other work....... and I want to let the media know if that which was reported to have happened should happen anymore I will......on the fact that you are here as a guest......any, such act will make you unwelcomed guest...," he warned.
His comments, meanwhile, has not gone down well with section of the public, particularly media practitioners, who consider threat as a attempt to muzzle the press.
Kwesi Pratt Jnr, who was contributing to a panel discussion on Peace FM's morning show ‘Kokrokoo’ Friday, said the Speaker cannot prevent the media from coming to Parliament because they are representing Ghanaians.
“You cannot determine what is the news value for the journalist…meanwhile, these journalists attend proceedings more than the MPs. Journalists are more punctual than MPs…The Speaker has no right to stop the media from coming to parliament because they are working for the people of Ghana. The Speaker cannot use such authority or power to stop the media from attending proceedings,” he fumed.
Source: Rebecca Addo Tetteh/Peacefmonline.com
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And he has power to give accreditation. If you are not accredited you cannot come to parliament to cover proceedings so mr. prat gyae ma yasomu nko adidie.
With the kind of confused journalism you do in Ghana, the speaker is right to shut you up. Did I hear a journalist of Citi Fm criticizing the NDC for holding a press conference by the highly polluted galamsey river, saying the NDC is disgracing the country before the world. I was so surprised that that respectful female staff should go so low. Yesterday, pollution of our rivers was wrong, today it is okay. So why should the journalists not be asked to ***barred word*** on other matters.
Pratt shd g ok back to school if he doesn't understand English. Reckless thought of a misguided veteran journalist. There are a lot of indiscipline on our roads of which some politicians and some police vehicles breaking the law. Pratt shd rather focus his energy to chk n shame the culprits.
What shows the man wants to gag the media, is the media above the laws of parliament. Why do you have to leave the chamber, to cover some usel3ss press conferences and later misinform readers and Listerners