Mahama's Govt Is The Laziest In Ghana�s History � Nana Akomea

Communications Director of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Akomea has fired a salvo at President John Mahama for describing the journalistic style adopted by some morning show hosts in the country as 'lazy'. Noting that the words used by the president against the media was harsh, he said President Mahama should have done an introspection of the kind of leadership he is offering Ghanaians before making his observation public. Addressing senior editors and executives of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) at the Flagstaff House Friday, President Mahama said the media especially radio is inundated with unprofessional conducts. He bemoaned that some morning show hosts have politicized their shows and have relegated issues which will bring national cohesion to the background. "Radio is the most potent media vehicle and it shapes perceptions of people and so even more than newspapers, radio must get it right in terms of shaping our people�s perception but often the style that is used is very lazy," he added. But the president has received bashing from his critics who claimed the words used are 'unsavory' and an affront to journalists in the country. Speaking on Asempa FM�s Ekosii Sen programme Monday, Nana Akomea said President Mahama critique of how morning show hosts do their work is a typical case of the kettle calling the pot black. He said the country is heading into an abyss due to the "laziness" and failure of the Mahama-led administration to govern the nation. Nana Akomea posited that the countless industrial strikes in the country are as a result of the indecision and inert posture by government. He said the Mahama-led administration is the only government which has benefited from oil proceeds and yet there is erratic water supply, water rationing and shortage of gas. The NPP man could not fathom why President Mahama would claim radio panelists sometimes lack the requisite knowledge about the issues being discussed when in fact he [Mahama] was once a regular panel member on radio shows. He recalled how the president then Communications Director of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in 1997 was a panel member on several radio discussion programmes. "Mahama is not president because he is an expert in governance but because he is a politician who has been elected," he added. Nana Akomea however admitted that the media landscape is saturated with sensationalism and blamed it on the absence of the Freedom of Information Bill and Broadcasting Bill. He was of the opinion that the passage of these Bills will help instil sanity in the media landscape and curb the creeping acts of impunity, disregard of professional standards and ethics. Nana Akomea also called on the media to adopt robust self-regulated mechanism to control and deal with unprofessional conduct.