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Former GJA President criticizes Atta Akyea for anti-journalist remark

Jemima Okang Addae Politics

At the 2024 manifesto launch of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Takoradi on Sunday [August 18, 2024], Samuel Atta Akyea, the Member of Parliament for Abuakwa South said "Let’s hand Ghana over to an economist and not a journalist."

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He made the statement in an interview.

His comment was indirectly referencing John Dramani Mahama, flag bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) as a journalist and Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, flag bearer of the NPP as an economist. 

Mr Mahama is a Member of the Ghana Journalist Association (GJA). He studied at the School of Communication Studies at the University of Ghana before becoming a Member of Parliament and then went ahead to become Minister of Communications, Vice President and then President. He is vying to be re-elected as President.

Dr Mahamudu Bawumia on his part is an economist who worked as a deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana before becoming a Vice President and now vying to be elected as President.

This comment from Mr Atta Akyea has solicited a reaction from a former President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Roland Affail Monney, who says Atta Akyea's comment was derogatory to the journalism profession.

He has therefore criticised the MP for making derogatory remarks about journalists and their profession.

In a television interview with GHOne TV, Mr Monney condemned the comment as being rooted in ignorance, likening it to typical political rhetoric aimed at impressing the public and securing votes for the party.

“This assertion is rooted in ignorance. This could be likened to a typical political talk and on such platforms, politicians who are consumed with all kinds of assumptions spew all kinds of things just to dazzle the audience or to win votes”, he stated.

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Mr. Monney emphasised that Mr. Atta Akyea, as a well-educated and experienced politician, should understand the critical role journalists play, especially given his experience working with them in both his law firm and in parliament.

“The one who made the assertion is a learned member of parliament, well-exposed and he knows the importance of journalists. He has worked with journalists in his law firm, he has worked with journalists in parliament”, he added.

The former GJA President urged that Mr Atta Akyea’s comment should be a warning to other political figures not to rope journalists into their campaign startegies.

“Journalism contributes immensely to a country’s economic upswing, social uplift and democratic upgrade”, he said.

Watch a video of the reaction below

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