The Parliamentary Press Corps has served notice that it will today, Thursday, February 27, 2020 convey a meeting to decide on its next line action after threats from the Speaker of Parliament to declare journalists as strangers in the House.
Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Mike Oquaye on Wednesday summoned the Dean of the Parliamentary Press Corps and the Director of Public Affairs of Parliament over the conduct of journalists at Tuesday’s sitting.
The summon followed a complaint from the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu to the effect that journalists abandoned proceedings in the House and gave audience to the Member of Parliament for Ellembele, Emmanuel Armah Buah who had concerns about the Energy Sector component of the State of the Nation Address.
But Dean of the Parliamentary Press Corps, Nana Agyeman Tenkorang who was unhappy about the Speaker’s directive said, today’s meeting will among other things find a lasting solution the matter at hand.
Already many have interpreted the Speaker’s decision as an attempt to stop them from discharging their duties.
However, Parliament in a statement clarified that the Speaker’s decision was not aimed at stopping the media from doing their work.
In his ruling on the complaint, the Speaker indicated that he would not hesitate to take action against journalists if due coverage is not given to the proceedings of the plenary.
Source:Fiilafmonline/CitiNews
