GJA suspends NDC/NPP press conferences at press
centre
Accra, Dec. 8, Ghanadot/GNA - The Ghana
Journalists Association (GJA) on Monday asked the two
leading political parties to stop holding press
conferences and counter-reactions of elections results
at the Press Centre.
Mr Bright Blewu, General Secretary of the GJA, also told
journalists who were waiting for certified results of
the 2008 elections from the Electoral Commission at the
Press Centre to be circumspect with the way they report
political parties’ sensational statements prior to the
final results.
He said the GJA had explained to the parties’ leaders
that the platform at the centre was specifically
provided for journalists to collate and report on
certified results.
“We don’t want the centre to be turned into a place
where political party leaders can walk in to make
sensational claims, which has the potential of marring
the electoral process,” he said.
Early at dawn on Monday, the NDC issued statement saying
that they “knew” they had won and that the NPP should
not do anything to “hijack” the process.
Later in the day at about 15.30 hours the NPP’s Peter
Mac Manu, National Chairman, Nana Ohene Ntow, General
Secretary and Mrs. Oboshie Sai-Coffie, Minister of
Tourism and Diasporan Relations came to the press centre
to react.
Mr. Mac Manu noted that based on the 128 certified
results declared at the time, the NPP was confident of
its chances of victory, but thought it was too early to
call.
“The way the NDC called the election as early as the
dawn of Monday can cause agitation if the actual results
from the EC do not go in their favour, but we are trying
to calm nerves and saying that let’s hold on until the
final results are in,” he said.
He said when the final results are declared, any party
that disputed it could resort to the law courts for
redress.
Meanwhile more than 10 police striking force officers
trouped to the press centre and took positions in
combatant style.
But Mr. Blewu explained to journalists that he called
for a minimal security presence at the press centre to
check vehicles that went in and out of the centre and
not for the striking force.
GNA
