Akufo-Addo’s governance style is characterized by intolerance – Mensah Thompson
Mensah Thompson was arrested for publication of false news
He said, Akufo-Addo’s leadership is characterized by intolerance
He spoke on Metro TV’s ‘One on One’ show
The recent arrest of some journalists and commentators is characterized by the “spirit of intolerance” under the leadership of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Mensah Thompson, Executive Director of the Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability, ASEPA, has said.
According to him, Ghanaians should have noticed the red flag when in the first term of the governing party, some radio stations were closed down by the government.
“That was a red signal, red flag of intolerance that media houses which are very critical of the administration or that particular party be shut down. Now, we come to the second term, there is no media house to shut anymore, so now, journalists and critics become the target,” Thompson said on Metro TV’s ‘One on One’ show on Monday, February 21.
“The question I ask is that, you have a regulator, NCA, which sits down for media houses to default their regulatory responsibilities in about five to ten years and then, the regulator just gets up one day and said, I’m cracking the whip, what were you doing all this while? Sitting down while people violate the law [means] you are an accomplice,” he added.
He noted that the NCA is funded by the taxpayer to regulate and ensure media houses meet their regulatory requirement and “conform to the standards of holding their frequency. If you sit down and you watch them for five, ten years, you don’t just get up one day and say I’m cracking the whip; that is irresponsible.”
Mensah Thompson, was recently arrested and charged with the publication of false news. The anti-graft and social advocacy group leader had alleged that relatives of the president had used the Presidential aircraft for a shopping trip to the United Kingdom in December 2021.
But the Ghana Armed Forces debunked the claim, discredited the reportage and asked the general public to disregard it.
In an interesting twist, however, Mensah Thompson backtracked on his claims and rendered an unqualified apology for peddling the false claims.
“In the same medium I made the earlier publication, I withdraw the publication pending an official response from the GCAA. I unreservedly apologise to the Ghana Armed Forces if their image was in any way affected by my publication. We shall put out for your consumption the response to our request from the GCAA records of the Falcon 900-EX.”, he posted on social media.
The Army reported him to the Police following which he was invited, detained and arraigned before a Circuit Court, he is currently on bail.
Source: Ghanaweb
