GJA to meet Kumasi Traditional Council over Oyerepa FM’s shutdown
A meeting has been scheduled between the leadership of the Ghana Journalist Association and the Kumasi Traditional Council today, 29th August 2022 to address the issue between the Council and Oyerapa FM after the radio station was ordered to halt operations by the council.
The station incurred the wrath of the council when Mr Akwasi Addai Odike used the platform to call out chiefs in the area for supporting illegal mining and threatened to mobilize youth to demonstrate against the chiefs.
Many Ghanaians have since expressed their opinion on the council’s decision against the media house with some arguing it is not in tandem with the constitution.
According to the Ghana Journalist Association statement issued regarding the situation, the association has taken a close look into the events leading to the traditional council ordering the closure of Oyerepa FM and its attendant negative effects on press freedom.
“The GJA has been monitoring events in the past two days regarding the shutdown and is deeply concerned about the actions of the Kumasi Traditional Council, which has the tendency to erode gains on the country’s nestling democracy”.
Also, the association expressed worry about recent actions by traditional councils when their issues are hit by the media. It, however, advised journalists to be circumspect in discussing matters that have to do with traditional authorities.
Aside from the station halting operations, the Kumasi Traditional Council is demanding an unqualified apology for offering Mr Odike the platform to criticize the authorities.
Mr Odike questioned the traditional council’s honesty in the fight against illegal mining. He also said he will involve the youth to rise up against the authorities in a bid to stop illegal mining from continuing in the area.
The traditional authorities felt disrespected by the said comments and called on the station to go through the required procedure to render an apology to them.
