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Experienced MPs needed to grow our democracy - GJA
President
Accra, April 9, Ghanadot/GNA- Mr Ransford
Tetteh, President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA),
on Tuesday said frequent changes of Members of Parliament at
elections every four or eight years would not help the
growth of parliamentary democracy.
He explained at the launch of the 15th anniversary
celebration of the Ghana Parliamentary Press Corps in Accra
that some MPs should be maintained to give them more time to
develop their skills to be effective legislators.
The theme for the week-long celebration is, "The Role of the
Parliamentary Press Corps in Parliamentary Democracy".
The celebration is being marked with a symposium, a float,
clean-up exercise, dinner dance and thanksgiving service.
The phenomenon of voting out an incumbent MP, who has served
for one or two terms for a new one, nicknamed "moko aya ni
moko aba", has become fashionable in some constituencies,
but Mr Tetteh noted that the job of an MP was a complete
life-long career in some advanced democracies.
He said there were instances in advanced democracies where
some legislators had served close to or more than 40 years,
and in such instances, understood the nitty-gritty of
lawmaking and parliamentary work and were able to craft
legislation for the proper development of the nation.
Mr. Tetteh urged media houses to maintain reporters on the
parliamentary beat longer to get the knack for effective
reportage on parliamentary proceedings.
The Deputy Minister of Information, Mr Frank Agyekum,
advised the press corps to maintain professional ethics and
not allow themselves to be used by self-seeking politicians
during this election year.
He said the essence of parliamentary democracy was the
ability to hear all voices, both at the majority and
minority sides, and called on the corps to constitute itself
into a strong lobby group for the deepening of democracy.
Mr. Andrew Edwin Arthur, Dean of the Corps, reiterated the
need for journalists in Ghana to be circumspect as they
reported on activities in the run-up to the 2008 General
Elections in December, so as not to create tension with
their reports.
"We must know that our reportage has the potential of
plunging the nation into chaos and confusion if we do not
carefully handle statements and utterances from politicians.
"Bad reportage has thrown some nations into turmoil, but I
trust that Ghanaian journalists will distinguish themselves
in their reportage before, during and after the December
elections. Let us desist from inflaming passions and taking
sides, since that has the tendency of throwing out of gear
the peace we are enjoying."
The Dean also advised politicians to conduct their campaigns
in a decent manner devoid of insults and utterances that can
set the nation ablaze.
Majority Leader and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Mr
Abraham Ossei Aidooh, extolled the press corps for holding
the Legislators in check and informing Ghanaians on what was
happening on the House.
He, however, criticised the press corps for falling into
sensationalism, over-summarising of coverage of proceedings,
misreporting and failing to educate the Ghanaian populace on
the work of the MP.
Minority Leader Mr. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin said the
press corps was part and parcel of the institution of
parliament, adding that it was incumbent on Parliament to
resource the corps to successfully execute their task.
He urged the corps to rise above partisanship and commit
themselves more to the work of parliament.
Solidarity messages were read from the Ghana Parliamentary
Service, National Governance Programme, the Castle Press
Corps and the Tourism Press Corps.
GNA
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