WOLVES IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING: MEET THE NPP GOVERNMENT’S APPOINTEES MASQUERADING AS JOURNALISTS AND CLERGYMEN….media mafias responsible for Ghana’s poor World Press Freedom ranking? – Part One

There is a popular mannerly advice that one does not talk while his mouth is full (with food). It, thus, becomes not only a show of bad manners, but also an act of greed and callousness when you’re crunching a piece of bread beside a hungry friend with no courtesy of extending a generous hand. This is the unmistakable characterization of our national affairs with some current political appointees still masquerading as journalists, clergyman and as men and women with voice of conscience. To these ‘imposters’, justice is when it plays in the interest of their paymasters, damning the faith of the people. They’re hatchet men with their parochial interests as the utmost priority, not what the people gain or lose.

DFS Live News has painstakingly uncovered the reasons behind the ‘change in standard’ of some hitherto vociferous and critical media practitioners and clergymen. There are also some men and women once believed to be people of integrity and had the nation at heart who were described in the media space as ‘neutrals’, whatever that meant. Their stomachs have been found in the kitchen of the current government and there appears not to be an end in sight of this unholy union as long as they continue to feed large at the expense of their professionalism and self-respect.

With Ghana’s drop in the latest World Press Freedom (WPF) ranking, it becomes evident that the actions and inactions of some media men have contributed to the country’s red zone grading. These journalists, as a result of the juicy perks attached to their new government jobs, restrict dissenting opinions on their media platforms. They have, perhaps, formed a cabal to suppress anti- government discussions on their TV and Radio shows. They have become the government’s propaganda machinery and in so doing undermine the actual freedom of the press as captured by the WPF report.

In Part One of our revelations, we present to you some men behind the consul who still pretend to be practicing journalism, those who still wear their cassocks and mount the pulpits with their hands soiled with government doll outs and those who have completely lost their voices to dire sore throats.

PAUL ADOM OTCHERE

Formerly a member of the National Communications Authority (NCA) Board appointed by the president in the first term of the Akufo-Addo government, the Host of the Good Morning Ghana show has derived an even better motivation to work harder for his darling government from his new appointment as the Chairperson of the Ghana Airport Company Limited. His current affairs program, known for its objectivity and probing questions to previous government officials has now turned into a propaganda wing of the current NPP government – his political employers. He is known for discrediting the few critical journalists, CSO leaders and key opposition functionaries who dare bring his paymasters under scrutiny on his live shows. Few days after his appointment, the president put his wife, Mrs. Rosemary Otchere on a staggering salary of about Ghc67,000 as the Dep. CEO of Ghana Exim Bank, an institution set up by former president John Dramani Mahama. It is therefore not surprising to see why Mr. Paul Adom Otchere’s eyes are closed to the ills of the government he is part, and the record level of corruption cases we were witnessing.

KWAME SEFA KAYI

Broadcast journalist Kwame Sefa Kayi used to mischievously announce the daily change in ex-pump prices of petrol and diesel on his Kokroko morning show on radio in the erstwhile Mahama administration to court disaffection for the government. However, that has changed since the assumption of power of the Akufo Addo led government in 2016. With his new appointment as a Board member of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) on August 6 2021, the ‘Chairman General’ who was known for “speaking truth to power” in time past has now closed his ears to the wailings of the suffering masses and no longer finds any truth to speak to the current powers that be. He is known for his infamous ‘mistreatment’ of Lawyer Sammy Gyamfi when he made appearance on his morning show as a panel member for a discussion. Due to heckling, needless interjections from the host and unfair paneling which usually gives advantage to the ruling government, the opposition NDC has boycotted his program until he becomes an impartial host. The situation is not likely to change anytime soon as long as the NPP remains in power and Sefa Kayi continues to draw fuel from government coupons and enjoy all the juicy perks (per diem, sitting and travelling allowances, etc.).

REV. DR. OPUNI FRIMPONG

The former general secretary of the Christian Council of Ghana, Rev. Opuni Frimpong seems to have thrown his principles to the dogs to seek his personal interest. Well, perhaps the public mistook his deceptive posturing with the previous Mahama government to mean a man of principles and high standards. The vociferous man of God who claimed he was only seeking the betterment of his followers has now lost his voice of conscience. The reason for his turnaround is not far from us. The man of God has been serving on Government boards and has now become closer to power than to the masses he professed to lead. One of his appointments is being a member of the Advisory Board of the Ministry of Finance. Servants of the Lord have deserted their flock in pursuit of wealth on earth. Rev. Frimpong has his bread baked from the government’s oven and his source of earnings will be threatened if he attempts a quarter of the barrage of verbal attacks, he, under the guise of ‘the clergymen’, meted to the previous regime on the current one.

Some prominent Ghanaians including the renowned economist and a founding member of the NPP, Dr. Kwame Pianim have criticized appointments of journalists on to public boards. He wondered how those journalists can have the balls to call the government out in its misdeeds since they are also a part of the government. “How can you criticize a government that your part of”? He quizzes.

So where are the men of integrity and voices of conscience Ghanaians used to live with? DFS Live News continues to investigate and will serve its cherished readers with more revelations on the whereabouts of those who claimed to be speaking truth to power not long ago.