Rawlings didn’t speak in a vacuum - Kofi Adams

Former President Rawlings with some members of the International Catholic Union of the Press




Kofi Adams, Special Aide to ex-President Rawlings, has lashed out at media practitioners and individuals for putting a spin on statements made by the ex-president in Burkina Faso with regards to the actions of some media practitioners.

Mr. Adams explained that the remarks by Mr. Rawlings against certain Ghanaian media practitioners in relation to having compromised ethics for selfish considerations did not come out of a vacuum, noting that, the former President only amplified what was an open secret that some journalists are allegedly on the pay roll of politicians to do their bidding.

Speaking in an interview with Adakabre Frimpong Manso on Adom Dwaso Nsem on Monday, the Special Aide to ex-President Rawlings expressed surprised over the plethora of comments that have greeted the critique of the Ghanaian media. Kofi Adams added that his boss is not the only Ghanaian to come out to speak up against corrupt journalism practice in Ghana.

He cited Dr. Wereko Brobbey’s description of some Ghanaian Journalists as “Black Polythene’ journalists and the Managing Editor of the Daily Punch Newspaper, Baby Ansabah’s, open confession that during the NPP government administration journalists were put on pay roll to do the bidding of the government.

In a critique of the media across the world at the International Catholic Union of the Press in Burkina Faso, Mr. Rawlings last Friday said many journalists have compromised ethics for selfish monetary considerations much against the tenets of the journalism profession.

The former president further alleged that a Ghanaian journalist was being paid 10,000 dollars a month to do the dirty work of a corrupt government. He however did not name the journalist and the regime. “We can only institute good governance if some members of the media do not become pawns of governments and other selfish business and political groups - a disease that is not unique only to Africa but across the world.

The former president also accused the Kufuor administration of deepening poverty in Ghana because of its corrupt nature. “You come to my country, the last government in power, taking over all the lands belonging to the traditional chiefs and the government and built huge mansions all over the place… the landscape is looking beautiful with all these modern structures but at the same time you can’t believe the extent to which it has impoverished people.” He opined.

The above comments have received lots of flak in the media circles and from certain individual who have said Mr. Rawlings has no moral rights to make such statements, a position Mr. Adams disagrees.


Story by Kwadwo Addo/Adom FM/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana

....Read More