PRESS STATEMENT OF THE NATIONAL UNION OF GHANA STUDENTS ON THE INABILITY OF JOURNALISTS TO PARTICIPATE IN EARLY VOTING.
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? Journalists Deserve Preferential Treatment Too.
The attention of the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) has been drawn over the last few days to a disturbing situation which we believe has the propensity of mitigating the gains the Electoral Commission and indeed the Ghanaian political landscape has chalked over the past two decades.
NUGS believes that the success story behind the conduct of peaceful and fair elections in Ghana given the peaceful nature of Ghanaians, its largely due to the concerted efforts of our compatriots in the media fraternity.
At NUGS, we believe that the forward march towards peaceful elections on December 7th requires the efforts of our journalists. That is why news of journalists being barred by Constitutional Instrument (CI) 72 from participating in early voting came as a rude shock.
NUGS is particularly humbled by the bold efforts the media have over the years played on election day towards ensuring transparency, from polling station through collation centers and to the final declaration of results.
NUGS regrets the undue diligence that characterized the passage of CI 72 into law. We believe that if the necessary attentions had been attached to such a bill, we wouldn?t be faced with such a situation with a little over a couple of weeks to the elections.
We also believe that the debate needn?t only be restricted to journalists. We believe there are equally important classes of Ghanaian societies like nurses, doctors, electoral observers with civil society groups, engineering staff with our energy generating institutions amongst others.
NUGS entreats the Electoral Commission to as a matter of urgency roll out a comprehensive plan that would address this situation and ensure that the media can fully operate on election day to the best of their abilities without any hindrance.
NUGS also believes this is a wake up call to the media especially to fully play their watchdog role that the Ghanaian society has come to expect of them. This is how far the unnecessary rush and politicization of CI 72 has brought us.
NUGS wishes to use this opportunity to assure the General public of its unflinching support towards ensuring a peaceful Ghana before, during and after the December 7th election.
Thank You.
ANDREWS KOFI GYAN????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ADWOA AMOANIWAA
(PRESIDENT)????????????????????????? ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????(PRESS SECRETARY)
0247990093?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ??????????????????????????0269777256
