NPP/NDC Bigwigs Continue To Make Indecent Expressions On Radio

Three prominent politicians from the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) were found to have used indecent expressions during Weeks 14 and 15 of monitoring indecent expressions on radio. The three were two NPP Members of Parliament, Kennedy Agyapong and Maxwell Kofi Jumah, and Dr. Tony Aidoo, the Head of Monitoring and Evaluation at the Presidency. The period, which spanned July 1 to 14, 2012, recorded 21 indecent expressions on nine radio stations. Oman FM registered six. Maxwell Kofi Jumah, Ernest Owusu Bempah and Ken Kuranchie made two each of the indecent expressions during the two-week period. Below is the full report: MFWA�S REPORT ON INDECENT LANGUAGE-USE ON RADIO The findings of the on-going monitoring of language-use on radio by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) have shown that 21 indecent expressions were made during the 14th and 15th weeks of monitoring. During the period (July 1 � 14, 2012), 172 reports were received on programmes monitored on the 31 radio stations selected for the project. The 21 indecent expressions were, however, captured on 15 programmes monitored on nine radio stations. Insulting and offensive expressions were dominant. Although people who identified with the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) made most of the indecent expressions, a few were rebroadcast of some indecent expressions. The project, which is aimed at promoting issues-based and decent language campaigning in this year�s polls, is an initiative by the MFWA and funded by STAR-Ghana. It involves daily monitoring of language/ expressions by politicians and activists on specific programmes on 31 selected radio stations across the country. General findings on expressions used Majority of the intemperate expressions centred on the controversy surrounding payment of judgement debts and general political party activities/matters. Below is the breakdown of the categories of indecent expressions that were recorded: � Insulting and offensive comments (9) � Unsubstantiated allegations (6) � Provocative remarks (5) � Innuendo (1) Expressions used by Discussants and their Political Party Affiliation Ten out of the 21 indecent expressions were made by affiliates/supporters of the NPP; six by the NDC and five by others whose affiliation could not be established. Three people were found to have made two indecent expressions each. Below are their names and the number of indecent expressions each made: Hon. Maxwell Kofi Djumah (2) Mr. Ernest Owusu Bempah (2) Mr. Ken Kuranchie, the Managing Editor of the Daily Searchlight newspaper (2)