The Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Sulemana Braimah, says the Speaker of Parliament, Professor Mike Oquaye “went overboard” with his ruling on how journalists should work during parliamentary proceedings.
This comes on the back of the summoning of the Dean of the Parliamentary Press Corps and the Director of Public Affairs of Parliament by the Speaker following a complaint from the Majority Leader of the House on Wednesday.
The Majority Leader complained that the journalists had abandoned proceedings in the House to cover a press briefing by the Member of Parliament for Ellembele, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah.
Delivering his ruling, the Speaker indicated that he would not hesitate to declare journalists as strangers to Parliament if due coverage was not given to the proceedings of plenary.
But Mr. Braiamah, on Eyewitness News on Thursday, described the Speaker’s ruling as a breach of the country’s constitution if imposed.
Members of the parliamentary press corps following the saga at Parliament have expressed their displeasure with the development.
While some complained that Prof. Oquaye was trying to interfere in their work following his ruling, some also demanded an apology from the Majority Leader.
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, however, said the calls for an apology were unfounded as he is not obliged to apologise for reporting the perceived misconduct of journalists to the Speaker of Parliament.
Parliament also downplayed the suggestions that the Speaker was seeking to gag the media with his ruling. In a statement, the House clarified that the Speaker’s decision was not aimed at stopping the media from doing their work.
Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) accused the Speaker of Parliament of trying to interfere with the work of the press after his recent threats to members of the Parliamentary Press corps.
The GJA in a statement described the threats as unfortunate and “an affront to media freedom and free speech.”
The Association, in its criticism, also said that it will “not countenance any action that attempts to take away the media’s right to inform the people’s right to know.”
Source:Fiilafmonline/CitiNews
