Police, GAF worried * Over abuse of radio phone-in programmes

Front Page: September 11, 2008.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) and the Ghana Police Service have expressed worry about phone-in programmes on radio stations during which hosts fail to control contribution from callers.
They, therefore, urged media practitioners to be circumspect in their reportage and presentation of national issues.
They also expressed concern about the use of non-experts on security issues to discuss matters they did not understand and, thereby, put out wrong information.
The two institutions made the appeal when their Public Affairs Directors made presentations at a forum organised by the Editors Forum, Ghana on “reporting issues bordering on security — the perspectives of the Army (military) and the Police” in Accra yesterday.
Colonel E. W. Nibo, Director of Public Relations of the GAF, with the support of Colonel William Ayamdo of the Defence Intelligence and DSP Kwesi Ofori, Director of Police Public Affairs, represented their respective institutions.
Contributing to the discussion, Col Ayamdo conceded that there was the need for clear-cut guidelines to be set out on reporting on security issues or the national interest.
He explained that security cut across all facets of life and needed to be broken down for people to appreciate its meaning.
Col Nibo, for his part, said the GAF was for the state and, therefore, running down the GAF was tantamount to destroying state assets.
He appealed to presenters and guests of radio programmes to educate themselves on security issues before going on air.
He said when the hosts were enlightened on security matters, they would not provide the avenue for people to express their ignorance or use the channel to inflame passions or settle personal scores with their opponents.
Col Nibo suggested that every media organisation should set up a defence/security desk, whose staff should be well educated on security jargons and ranks of the security agencies, particularly the military.
He also called for more dialogue between the military and the media for them to appreciate each other’s role in the country’s democratic process.
“The more professional we are the better the relationship is,” he stated.
For his part, DSP Ofori said the media must learn to trust the security agencies and not misinterpret information issued to them.
He said the media must also refrain from blowing out of proportion security operations and given it twists to suit political interest, stressing that “we must show respect to the security institutions”.
DSP Ofori said the neutrality of the police must be respected by all and that the police should also work to protect state interests.
He reminded the media that in the event of any conflict, practitioners would not be safe to practise their chosen profession and if they did, they would be working for rebel groups or factions in an unfavourable environment.
The Chairperson of the Editors Forum, Ghana, Ms Ajoa Yeboah-Afari, observed that the media were working in a highly polarised society and this required tact and professionalism.
She said the forum was the beginning of a programme to discuss topical issues to promote peace, stability and development of the country.