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The Lloyd Evans campaign team has asked Mr Roland Affail Monney to be truthful on his campaign rounds as he tries to seek the mandate of members of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) for a second term as president in the upcoming Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) elections.

Responding to comments by Mr Monney that the upcoming GJA elections “is not a do or die affair,” the campaign team of Mr Evans said, “One thing we do agree with him though, is the fact that indeed the upcoming GJA elections “is not a do or die affair” for which reason, we expect the out-going President to be truthful at all times to his constituents. Journalists are no more naïve. We expect better from him.”

Below is a copy of the statement issued and signed by Boahene Asamoah, Campaign Manager

Re: GJA elections is not a do or die affair- Affail Monney.

Accra-Thursday, 24 August-The Lloyd Evans Campaign office has been forced to issue this rejoinder to correct some erroneous representation by the out-going GJA President during a campaign at Ho in the Volta Region.

We have been restrained as per the consensus agreement of the high court and also as a team, we have had to bend backwards for the forward movement of GJA. For us, the ultimate goal is to build and not to disintegrate.

It seems Mr Affail Monney’s desperation to hang on to power at all cost and his realization that a huge wave of change is about to sweep him out of office, he has therefore resorted to maligning the image of the “Fearsome Four” who dared to challenge the unconstitutional action that was to be perpetuate on all GJA members.

Mr Monney is quoted to have said “…the image of the association had been “dented” by the election ligitation…”

We will like to point it out that if there has been any damage to the image of the association, it certainly has nothing to do with the election litigation. The litigation has, if for nothing at all, restored the image of the association from one of gross abuse of power to respect for rules and regulations.

We are saddened that the Mr Monney did not find reason with well-meaning journalists and senior colleagues who had intervened for amicable solution to issues of gross abuse of the GJA constitution and had for-warned of a legal action.

Indeed, Mr Godwin Avernogbor, a veteran journalist and one of the “senior mediators” posted his frustration on his Facebook wall about the adamant attitude of the current GJA Executives for a possible resolution of the then seeming crises.

It is also on record that while some current executives saw wisdom in dialogue to avert a court action as a last resort, Mr Monney rather chose the path of litigation in a weird anticipation that a legal route will further prolong his over a year illegal stay in power.

While Team Lloyd was opened for dialogue, and expressly wrote to the EC together with the other three members (namely, Vance Azu, Francis Kokutse, and Edmond Kofi Yeboah) to seek clarification on why the EC has decided against all constitutional breaches to re-open nominations in gross disregard to the EDAC report, the EC did not find the aggrieved letters worthwhile to provide answers to by replying to their letters, hence the court action.

It is on record that the Lawyer for the GJA, Mr Egbert Faibille, a colleague journalist, openly apologised on behalf of his clients, the GJA and the EC for not responding to the letters of the four members of the association during the mediation talks held at Gamey and Gamey’s office in Dzowulu in the full presence of all members involved in the election dispute.

Mr Faibille even went further to note that it was illegal for the EC to have re-opened the nominations after the EDAC report had recommended the process must continue. Therefore, the litigation could not have dented the image of the GJA if all processes were duly followed and if Mr Monney had earlier listened to wise counsel from the “GJA elders”.

If indeed there has been any damage to the image of the GJA it certainly has do with certain actions and decisions he, as the President has undertaken. A few reminders will help here.

1. It is instructive to note from the EDAC report that the current GJA members do not have any documentary proof that extended their mandate by the illegally constituted Extra Ordinary Meeting held in August. This is a gross abuse of the trust and confidence journalists whose power and authority he holds in trust. Certainly, this is what has dented the image of the association.

2. The question journalists should ask is; do you over stay your mandate by 7 months (from March-to-August 2016) only to seek for extension of your mandate after grossly abusing the GJA constitution? Wouldn’t the proper thing would have been to seek for extension of your mandate before your term expires in March 2016?

3. That the laws covering the elections for this year was selectively applied to perpetuate himself in power.

These are some of the critical things we would expect the out-going President should be addressing rather than shift the focus from abuse of his office to those who sought to correct the wrongs he has perpetuated on GJA members.

One thing we do agree with him though, is the fact that indeed the upcoming GJA elections “is not a do or die affair” for which reason, we expect the out-going President to be truthful at all times to his constituents. Journalists are no more naïve. We expect better from him.

There has been consensus at the Inter-Candidate Elections Committee (ICEC), that matters discussed at the ICEC meeting should not be made public therefore we are constrained in our responds. Perhaps, if Mr Monney has attended any of the three meetings held so far and committed himself to the consent processes as outlined in the ICEC meetings, he would not have made this comment.

The GJA and its members have Lloyd and his team to be thankful for, for having the boldness to challenge the gross abuse of the laws of our association.

We will entreat all journalists to ask to be given copies of the EDAC report which exposes the gross abuse of the powers entrusted to him by all Ghanaian journalists.

Boahene Asamoah
Campaign Manager