In the past, political leaders used the press as a mouth piece or tool to fight and eradicate the colonial administration. Before Independence, Kwame Nkrumah used his newspaper, The Evening News, to state the views of the Convention People?s Party (CPP). This newspaper incessantly repeated the popular demand for ?Self-government Now!? while launching angry attacks against the colonial government. The Evening News served as his main political weapon against his fellow Ghanaian opponent ?United Gold Coast Convention(UGCC)- and against the colonial administration.
?Self-Government Now!?, a slogan pushed by The Evening News became the most popular slogan in the country. It was termed a seditious material which resulted in ?his imprisonment for 3 years. The Evening News was shut down but the message had already been received, accepted and was about to be adopted by the masses. The term, ?the damage had already been done? can be used to explain the effect of this slogan. The colonial administration saw that if they resisted the peoples? open demand for self-governance, they would become un-governable. Hence an election was conducted in the Gold Coast of which Kwame Nkrumah?s political party, CPP, won.
The press, although not a holder of power, constitute by and large the space that power is decided. They had a major hand in the attainment of independence for Ghana. The feeling of solidarity when every medium of press pushes for one cause is not one often seen in Ghana anymore.
Currently, most Ghanaian journalists practice partisan politics and the presence of polarized media is evident. We are in a situation of under-development and need the Press to assist the government in developing the country as a common goal. Rather, most media houses are used by diverse political parties to do mud-slinging and tarnish the opposition and government in power. The goal is to constantly fight against the opposition ?and the government in power to attain power and satisfy personal needs that do not have anything substantial to do with the development of Ghana as a whole.
The press is seen as a prophet who relays important information to the masses. If the press neglects its primary duty to inform, educate and entertain the public truthfully and exercises biases and prejudice, it loses its credibility and humane significance.
Like Kwame Nkrumah who successfully and significantly implemented the press to attain independence and development, Ghanaian government and its opposition should even though in a headlock fight over power, must work collectively to achieve a common goal for the development of our country Ghana.
By: ?Sarah Dada-Djirackor
The writer is a Level 100 student of the Ghana Institute of Journalism and can be reached [email protected]
