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Ashanti Regional Chairman of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Listowell Yesu Bukarson has charged his colleagues in the media who are afraid to declare their political identity to do so in order to take part in the nation’s growth and development.

According to him, it is a known fact that every journalist votes during elections and so the phase of hypocrisy that engulf the media landscape must be eschewed to make sure journalists take full participation in politics.

Speaking on Okay Fm’s "Ade Akye Abia" Morning Show, Yesu Bukarson said it is time for the media to be associated with bodies like the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) which has many lawyers taking control of the politics in the country.

“It is time for the media to be associated with other bodies like GBA, GMA and others. Today, how many lawyers and doctors are into politics and they expect the media to be the fourth estate of the realm but how many journalists are into politics?, he quizzed.

“Whatever happens to Ghana, we are affected as well. It has gotten to a point for you and I to be bold and say that ‘this is our party’; if you are a journalist, you must have a political identity…it is time to come up and join in the fight for the revolution of this country; Ghana is simply dying and you know it and so we eschew journalism of hypocrisy and face the issue head-on,” he charged.

He however urged his colleagues in the media fraternity to join the political parties of their choice; adding that the idea of neutrality in the media about ascertainable fact is a crime against intellect, pinpointing Kwesi Pratt Jnr. and Kweku Baako Jnr. as senior journalists who belong to a political party.

His argument is borne out of the fact that he has publicly declared his intention of contesting the Builsa North Constituency on the ticket of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) and filed his nomination accordingly; insisting that “the media must eschew journalism of hypocrisy because Ghana is dying.”