NDC condemns attack on studios of UTV, says attack was goaded by NPP "high-ups in govt"

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has condemned an attack on the studios of United Television (UTV) by hooligans, accusing some members of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) of instigating it.

The attack took place during a live broadcast of UTV's prime-time entertainment show, "United Showbiz" on Saturday. The hooligans stormed the studios, disrupted the program, and threatened to assault the host and her guests.

The NDC said in a statement that the attack was "a dastardly act" and "a shameful act in no uncertain terms." It said that there was "no place for such uncivilized and beastly conduct in a democracy."

The NDC also said that the attack was "goaded by the recent antagonistic posturing of high-ups in government and the NPP towards UTV and its flagship 'United Showbiz' program." It said that the attack was part of a "litany of attacks that goons associated with the NPP have visited on people performing their lawful duties."

The NDC called on the Ghana Journalists Association, civil society, and traditional and moral society to speak out against the attack. It also called on the Ghana Police Service to investigate the incident and ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice.

The attack on UTV has been condemned by Ghanaians on social, including the National Media Commission and the Ministry of Information. The Ghana Police Service has said that it is investigating the attack and has arrested some of the suspects.

Read the entire statement below;

NDC CONDEMNS NPP’S VIOLENT ATTACK ON THE STUDIOS OF UTV

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has learned with utter disgust, a dastardly attack that was visited on the studios of United Television (UTV), last night.

While the station’s prime-time entertainment show, ‘United Showbiz’ was ongoing, a group of uncivilized hooligans belonging to the ruling New Patriotic Party stormed the studios of UTV, disrupted the live program, and proceeded to threaten to assault the host and her guests.

It later emerged that these thugs were led by the Klottey Korle Youth Organizer of the New Patriotic, under the orders of Ernest Owusu Bempah, a Deputy Director of Communications and other leading figures of the ruling party.

The NDC condemns this shameful act in no uncertain terms, as there can be no place for such uncivilized and beastly conduct in a democracy.

Yesterday’s event sets Ghana’s democracy back and further erodes our fast-dwindling press freedom fortunes as a country.

We in the NDC are deeply worried about the level of intolerance of dissenting views in Ghana today under the tyrannical Akufo-Addo/Bawumia/NPP government. We completely condemn the extent to which the ruling NPP is determined to go to institutionalize a culture of silence.

The senseless attack we witnessed yesterday was goaded by the recent antagonistic posturing of high-ups in government and the NPP towards UTV and its flagship ‘United Showbiz’ program.

It is instructive that this attack on UTV was preceded by a letter from the New Patriotic Party’s National Secretariat a few days ago, which sought to brazenly impose an editorial policy on the station. This was followed by threats by leading figures of the NPP to ensure the illegal closure of the station.

Indeed, some of the NPP hooligans have been captured on video saying that they attacked the studios of UTV to defend and protect the President, the Vice President, Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia, and the NPP from legitimate criticism by some members of the panel.

Yesterday’s event adds to the litany of attacks that goons associated with the NPP have visited on people performing their lawful duties, including a pregnant judge sitting in open court in Kumasi some time back.

The latest incident is yet another clearest evidence of how intolerant, violent, and tyrannical this Akufo-Addo/Bawumia NPP government has become.

We call on the Ghana Journalists Association and other vanguards of free speech, civil society as well as traditional and moral society to speak out before it is too late.

Our press freedom and democratic credentials are under serious attack, and to remain silent in these times is to encourage the triumph of evil.

We further call on the Ghana Police Service to expeditiously investigate this incident and ensure that all the culprits are duly prosecuted by law.

The NDC shall be monitoring every development on this important matter and will not accept anything short of justice.

SIGNED.
SAMMY GYAMFI ESQ.
(National Communication Officer)